Dance dance revolution
by Syrup-Waffle
Summary: After another loss in the Kalos league, one pokemon decides she's tired of Ash losing and takes matters into her own hands. With the help of a legendary pokemon at Ash's side, things surely tend to be different this time around. Contains smart/mature Ash. Sort of a time travel fic. Ash x Meloetta!
1. Prologue

**Hi guys! This will be a cute little story I'll try to update once every month or so. I made this for the extremely adorable pokemon Meloetta! I don't know about you guys, but I like her a lot ^^ Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ash would've captured Meloetta in B &W.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

In the hall of origins, a saddened legendary floated towards her creator.

Arceus was sitting on his throne as usually, when he spotted the tiny normal and psychic type. His stern gaze softened.

''Meloetta, what is bothering you?'' he asked, concerned for her well-being.

She cut to the chase immediately.

''Father, isn't Ash your chosen human?''

Arceus nodded. ''He is. His aura is pure and his heart is one of a kind. You should know, dear.''

Meloetta's voice turned into a whisper. ''Then why do you let him lose in every league he participates in?''

This question caught the creator off guard. The sadness was almost palpable from every word Meloetta uttered.

''Have you been watching the Kalos league with Ridley?''

She nodded her head softly. ''It's unfair, father! Why is Ash not allowed to win for once?''

Arceus paused for a moment before answering.

''I've decided it this way. So Ash will continue his travels to new locations and stop the evil organizations who want to destroy the world for power or their foolish beliefs.''

Meloetta's features turned angry. ''That's it!? Because you're afraid he will stop his travels? Father! Do you even know your chosen one at this point? For everything he has done to save the world, you won't let his dream come true?''

The creator stuttered at the furious reply. He wasn't used to seeing Meloetta this upset. ''I-I'm sorry, dear. Is there any way I can make it up to you?''

''Let Ash win!'' she almost screeched, fuming at this point. To her, the answer was obvious, but for Arceus it was almost taboo to hear.

''No,'' he stated adamantly. ''I can't take that risk.''

'''And what if you had a fail check, father?'' she suggested. ''Let me join him. I'll make sure he travels to other regions even when he wins.''

Again, Arceus stuttered. ''B-but what about Ridley and the Abyssal ruins?''

Meloetta gave him a reassuring smile. ''Ridley will be fine, and if you really need someone at the Abyssal ruins just create another Meloetta. That's not too hard for you to do, is it, father?''

''Huh...'' Arceus was at a loss for words. ''And this would make you happy?'' he asked unsurely.

''Positively! Please, father, I'm begging you. Just give it a shot.'' She gave him the best puppy eyes she could muster while clasping her hands together in a cute fashion.

Arceus muttered something under his breath about how he should stop creating adorable legendaries that easily played with his feelings. He didn't like the plan at all, but if it made Meloetta happy, he could give it a try at least.

''Alright I'll do it—''

''Yes!'' Meloetta shouted happily, before clasping her hands on her mouth after her sudden outburst. ''Sorry,'' she muttered sheepishly.

Arceus looked amused. ''As I was saying, I'll do it, but on one condition. If you fail in making the chosen one travel from one region to the next after he wins a tournament, I'll reverse everything to its original state as if nothing ever happened. And that'll be the last time I do it any other way.''

Meloetta nodded in satisfaction, her excitement clearly showing as she hopped up and down. ''Oh thank you, father! I won't disappoint you I promise!'' she sang, giving him a quick hug.

''If you're all set, then I will send you to Ash immediately.''

''Wait!'' she protested.

Arceus rose a brow. ''Is something the matter, dear?''

''If I'm doing this, I want to do it the right way. Could you please send me back in time until the moment Ash is about to start his journey?''

The creator thought about it, but saw no reason why he wouldn't grant this request. ''Consider it done. Any more requests, dear?''

Meloetta shook her head. ''I'm ready when you are.''

The everlasting pokemon stood from his throne. His eyes shone with a magical power which created a powerful singularity in front of them.

"This portal through space and time will bring you straight to Pallet town a day before the chosen one starts his journey. Please take good care of yourself.''

''I will, don't worry, father.''

The normal and psychic type gave Arceus a final smile and entered the portal, disappearing from sight completely. Arceus closed the portal and took his usual spot on the throne again.

'Well, back to looking stern I guess.'

* * *

In Pallet town, a ten-year-old boy was happily running towards his home. Tomorrow was the day he would finally receive his first pokemon. He was going to travel around the Kanto region, collect all the gym badges and become a pokemon master!

''Well, if it isn't Ashy-boy,'' an obnoxious voice stated.

Ash Ketchum stopped his dash. Gary Oak, Ash's rival for as long as he could remember, was standing there, smirking while he was leaning against a wall.

''Gary!'' the raven haired boy growled, balling his fists. Every time they crossed paths, Ash's blood began to boil. Gary never failed to annoy him.

''That's right, loser! Tomorrow we will receive a pokemon from gramps, but don't think you'll get anything special! If it comes to you, you'll probably oversleep and don't get anything at all!''

Ash took the bait. ''Oh yeah? We'll see about that when I get a Charmander and beat you with it!''

Gary began to laugh. ''Do you know how to command a pokemon then? For that matter, do you even know how to catch a wild pokemon?''

''Of course I do!''

''Yeah right,'' Gary sneered, ''you'll probably throw rocks at it until you anger a whole herd. If I were you, I wouldn't even show up at the lab at all tomorrow.''

Ash crossed his arms in denial, blushing at his rival's accurate guess. ''I wouldn't throw rocks at a wild pokemon,'' he muttered unconvincingly.

''Whatever! I'll be cruising through Kanto with my car and cheerleaders while you have to walk. I'll see you at the Indigo league. Oh wait, I won't, because you'll probably be still stuck trying to get your first badge by then!''

Gary snickered as he took his leave. ''Smell ya later, Ashy-boy.''

The raven haired boy gave him a murderous look. 'That Gary, I'll show him!' he thought.

The rest of the walk back home wasn't so joyous anymore. Gary successfully had ruined Ash's mood yet again. But deep down, he knew that his rival was somewhat right.

He still had a lot to learn about pokemon. However, blind on excitement as he was, he had reassured himself that it would come with due time.

Frankly, Ash was unprepared for his journey, and he realized this with growing worry.

'Gary got all the knowledge he needed about pokemon from professor Oak, but I didn't. How am I going to be a pokemon master if I don't even know how to train my pokemon properly?' Ash thought sadly.

Deep in his thought, he walked to the edge of town—his appetite for food completely gone. There he sat on the grass, looking out over Route 1 which led to Viridian city.

'Maybe, my dream is far-fetched after all,' he mulled, sighing loudly as the wind rustled through his hair. Its sound was almost like a beautiful melody, creating the illusion it was actually growing louder when he closed his eyes.

No, wait... It was really getting louder! Ash tried to listen more closely with mild interest. A beautiful singing voice, something which he'd never heard before entered his ears and captured his very soul.

The feminine sounds enraptured the boy, putting him at ease. All his worries faded away like chaff before the wind. The voice changed speed and intensity, going into a beautiful crescendo that left Ash speechless.

He was calmer than he'd ever been in his entire life, the joy he experienced by just listening to this voice was something magical. He never wanted it to stop.

Finally, the voice ended her magnificent musical piece. Her alien language, while incomprehensible by Ash, made it all the more charming. He was captivated to the bone and stunned into silence.

Very delicately, a pokemon shifted into existence. She was small, but her appearance left Ash with no doubt that she was the one responsible for that beautiful little private show.

''That was very beautiful,'' Ash complimented.

''Mel!''

She blushed, a happy smile on her face as she floated closer towards the raven haired boy.

''I've never seen a pokemon like you before. My name's Ash. What's your name?''

''Meloetta!'' she answered back with joy.

''So you're a Meloetta huh? You must be very rare if you can levitate and turn invisible.''

She nodded.

''Did you sing that song for me because I was sad?''

''Melo!'' she replied cheerfully and nodded again. She took a seat on one of his shoulders as Ash rubbed her head with his hand.

''Well thank you. That was really nice of you.''

Meloetta enjoyed the boy's affections. She hummed melodically as she reminisced about the time she first met Ash.

'He's even cuter now than he was back then,' she thought shyly. An adorable giggle escaped her lips as she hugged the boy out of appreciation.

Floating in his line of sight again, she put an innocent expression on her face.

''Mel?'' she inquired, pointing at the human.

''Huh? You want to know why I was sad?''

A nod.

''Well... It's because of Gary. You see, he always tries to get the best of me, and most of the times it works. He said some very mean things and that's why I was sad.''

''Mel...'' She sounded downtrodden, something which Ash could only understand as her having pity for him.

''Tomorrow I'll be old enough to finally get my first pokemon and be an official trainer,'' Ash explained to Meloetta, ''but Gary thinks I'll be a lousy trainer because I don't know much about pokemon yet.''

The legendary pokemon shook her head, pointing at Ash and giving him an infectious smile.

''You really think I have what it takes to be a pokemon trainer?''

She nodded vigorously.

Ash gave a sheepish laugh, unable to express how happy he was with her answer.

''Thanks, Meloetta, I needed that.''

Another blush from the pokemon, before Ash began to move.

''Well, it's getting late. My mom is probably worrying herself sick about me. I should go home.''

''Melo meloetta,'' she stated, stopping him from leaving just yet.

''Huh? Is there something you need, Meloetta?''

She nodded, disappearing for just a moment before returning with a single item.

Ash gasped; he knew the item all too well. In the pokemon's small hands was a single pokeball. She pushed the ball into Ash's hands and pointed at herself.

''Meloetta mel!'' she exclaimed, confirming what Ash had been thinking.

''You want me to capture you? But I'm not even a trainer yet!'' he argued weakly. The raven haired boy was simply surprised beyond comprehension about her decision.

However, Meloetta wouldn't take no for an answer. Instead, she gently put her own hands around his, moved forward and softly pressed her lips against his own.

In that moment, she clicked on the ball, disappearing inside of it. The item gave a ping sound soon after, indicating the capture was a success.

Meanwhile, Ash was in a trance. A fiery blush adorned his face, his mind unable to come up with a single rational thought.

Then, he touched his lips and smiled. Meloetta would be his first pokemon, a cute little minx who had him wrapped around her non-existent finger.

The start of his journey suddenly looked very different now. He felt confidence, excitement, but above all pure happiness surging through his veins as he made his way back home.

Gary wouldn't know what hit him!

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! Until next time :)**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	2. I got a pokemon!

**Next chapter people. I hope you will enjoy :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. If I did, Ash would be a competent trainer.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

At Oak's lab, Ash Ketchum was running excitedly through the hallway.

''Professor!'' the raven haired boy shouted, and waved when he spotted the scientist.

Oak gave him a friendly smile.

''Ash, my dear boy! You're early,'' the professor noted.

The boy in question nodded his head. ''I wanted to be here in time to receive my starter.''

''That's the spirit I like to see,'' Oak responded approvingly. ''Well, since you're the first to arrive, I can show you the starter pokemon which you can choose from. Follow me.''

Professor Oak and Ash walked further into the room until they approached a machine which contained three pokeballs.

''I'm guessing that you already know which starter you have in mind?'' the professor questioned.

''I have,'' Ash said. ''But I'd like to have a second opinion from my partner until I make a choice.''

''Your partner?'' the professor asked in confusion. There was nobody besides Ash in the room, hence why Oak raised a brow.

A silence followed until the boy gave a nod of his head, seemingly towards nobody in particular.

Then, the air began to shift and before the stunned scientist, a beautiful pokemon materialized.

''Professor, this is Meloetta. Meloetta, professor Oak,'' he introduced them to each other.

''Melo!'' she chirped happily in greeting.

Just for a moment, it appeared as if the professor was paralyzed. His eyes were wide and his muscles tensed. But before long, Oak had regained his composure.

''Ash, where did you find her?'' he asked him calmly. The underlying curiosity of the question from the professor could be cut with a knife though.

''Well... I didn't find her, she found me actually,'' Ash replied sheepishly.

Meloetta giggled and gave the slightly embarrassed boy a tender hug.

''Interesting. Could you tell me how you met her?''

So Ash told professor Oak the story how he met Meloetta up until this point. The scientist listened intently and nodded his head in understanding when Ash was finished.

''So she insisted herself that you should capture her?'' Oak asked for clarification.

''Meloetta!'' the pokemon responded, answering the question for Ash.

''Yeah, she was really... convincing,'' he replied shyly. A blush appeared on his cheeks when he remembered the kiss she gave him. He felt warm just thinking about it and it didn't help Meloetta knew exactly what he was talking about either.

The normal and psychic type stifled a giggle. ''Mel,'' she lovingly stated afterwards. The legendary pokemon gave the timid boy a peck on his nose to let him know she definitely hadn't forgotten.

''I see,'' the professor exclaimed, mostly ignoring Ash's embarrassment but definitely noticing Meloetta's affections for the boy.

''I can safely assume it's not luck or chance Meloetta found you, Ash. She has chosen you for a reason. Now whatever her reason may be, I'm not going to try to deduce that. Legendary pokemon work in mysterious ways.''

''Wow, she's really a legendary pokemon? I mean, I kinda expected it, but I had never heard of a pokemon like her before so I didn't know for sure,'' Ash admitted.

''She definitely is, which means you need to be extra careful when traveling. Many evil organizations would love to have a legendary pokemon, especially team Rocket.''

''I'll be careful, professor, I promise!''

''Melo, Meloetta!'' the normal and psychic type added.

''Good. Now if you guys are ready, which starter pokemon would you like, Ash?''

''I was thinking Charmander! What do you think Meloetta?''

She shook her head.

''No? What about Bulbasaur then?''

Another shake of her head.

''Squirtle?''

Again, Meloetta shook her head.

''You don't want me to pick any of these three? But they're the starter pokemon! We have to choose one of them. It isn't like we have another option,'' Ash argued.

''Actually, there kinda is,'' professor Oak brought in. With a few button presses on the keyboard, another pokeball appeared. This fourth pokeball had a little lightning insignia on the front to differ it from the rest.

''Inside this pokeball is a Pikachu. It's a little stubborn, but with the right training it can become a very strong pokemon.''

''Meloetta, Melo!'' she chirped immediately, clearly excited.

Ash looked hopeful at the legendary pokemon.

''You want me to pick Pikachu then?''

''Mel!''

''All right! It's settled then.''

Ash took the pokeball out of professor Oak's hands. ''Pikachu, I choose you!''

The electric rodent appeared with a flash of light.

''Pika,'' he said while taking in his surroundings. His eyes rested on the raven haired boy in front of him.

''Hi Pikachu. I'm Ash Ketchum, your new trainer and this is Meloetta. I hope we can be friends and I promise to take really good care of you,'' he spoke genuinely to the pokemon.

The electric-type, however, turned his head away in disinterest.

Meloetta frowned. 'This isn't how I remember Pikachu at all. Ash's Pikachu was loyal to him through and through. Moreover, he was never this rude.'

The small legendary eyed him up and down. 'He's definitely fatter than Ash's Pikachu too. Is this even the right one? Oh please let this be the right one,' she thought.

''Pikachu,'' Meloetta sang. ''Can I ask you a question?''

The electric rodent took an educated guess. ''What do you want to know? If I could please listen to this human? Yeah, no. Not happening.''

She ignored his sarcastic reply.

''Do you like ketchup?''

Both of his ears immediately perked up at the question. ''Yeah, I love ketchup! I eat that stuff all the time. How did you know?''

Meloetta sighed happily. 'Okay, this is definitely Ash's Pikachu all right. Also explains why he's so fat, doing nothing but eating,' she thought. 'We're going to change that if I don't see an attitude shift soon though.'

''Oh, I'm part psychic. Anyway, I know for a fact Ash rewards his pokemon royally if they do a good job. You'll get stronger and free ketchup. Doesn't that sound like a good deal to you?''

''That does sound intriguing yes,'' he agreed. ''All right. I'm willing to give Ash a shot then.''

Meanwhile, Ash was waiting for Meloetta to finish her conversation. When she did, she floated towards him and took a seat on his left shoulder.

''So what do you say, Pikachu? Do you want to become my pokemon?''

He nodded and gave a cute cry of his name.

''Then it's official. Congratulations Ash! You're a legitimate pokemon trainer as of now,'' Professor Oak said.

''Thanks, professor!'' he replied. ''And thank you too,'' he whispered to Meloetta.

She nuzzled her head with his while holding his cheeks, a small blush on her face as she did so.

''Well then, I should give you these too. The device in my right hand is a pokedex. It automatically records data on any pokemon you encounter. It'll also let you see the level, gender, type, ability and moves of a pokemon. Be sure to check it frequently.''

''I will, don't worry, professor.''

''Then you're ready to travel around the Kanto region. These five pokeballs are a gift from me. If you want more you need to buy them yourself at the market.''

''Okay, got it!''

Ash returned Pikachu to his pokeball and Meloetta turned invisible. Just in time, because not a second later another person walked in.

''Gramps! Here I am to get my first pokemon and—Ashy-boy!? Well, color me surprised you're actually earlier than me. You can be proud of yourself for such a feat,'' Gary mocked.

Ash growled and balled his fists. He wanted to lash out verbally at Gary to shut him up, but a gentle touch on his cheek made him stop in his tracks.

Meloetta was soothing him, her small hands gently caressing his face. She was very delicate with her movements, and for a moment Ash completely forgot why he was mad in the first place.

''You know what, Gary? You're right I should be proud. If I want to be the very best, I need some discipline. Thanks for that. Someday, I'll be a true pokemon master!''

Gary snorted. ''Yeah right. In your dreams, Ashy-boy. Now excuse me while the future champion is picking his first pokemon.''

Meloetta smiled at how mature Ash handled that situation for his age. She pressed her lips softly against his cheek, giving him a kiss.

Ash's face lit up like a christmas tree. Something about how Meloetta showed affection made Ash feel good. It was a different kind of kiss his mother would give him. Meloetta kissed him so sensually that it gave him goose bumps.

The duo left the lab. Ash was almost ready to start his adventure. He only needed to say goodbye to his mom and then he was on his way.

* * *

''I almost forgot. I never used the pokedex on you guys.''

Ash and his pokemon were having lunch on Route 1. As promised, Pikachu was happily licking on a ketchup bottle. He quickly realized that his trainer was a kind hearted boy and that his presumptions were terribly wrong.

Needless to say, his attitude almost made a u-turn.

The raven haired trainer pointed the device at his electric starter, which then gave a beep.

''Pikachu, the mouse pokemon. Pikachu can generate electric attacks from the electric pouches located in both of its cheeks,'' a mechanical voice informed the trainer. On the screen, Pikachu's stats were displayed.

''Cool. So you know Thundershock, Quick attack and Growl?''

Pikachu nodded his head.

''Awesome. That's not bad at all, right, Meloetta?

''Mel!'' she agreed.

''Speaking of not bad.''

Ash pointed the pokedex at his legendary pokemon. Just like last time, it gave a beep.

''Pokemon unknown, no data available.''

''No data available, huh?'' he muttered. His pokedex didn't recognize her, which was kind of to be expected. It did, however, display Meloetta's stats.

''Normal and psychic type? That's a pretty unique combo, I like it.''

''Melo!'' she chirped happily, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

'Her ability is Serene Grace. I have to ask the professor what that does the next time I speak to him,' he thought.

Ash didn't recognize her moves in the slightest though.

'Hyper voice? Relic song? Close combat? I have no idea what each of these moves do,' he thought owlishly.

'I guess I will know soon enough when I battle with her then.'

Putting his dex away, Ash decided to enjoy the scenery. He'd encountered a wild Pidgey and a Rattata so far, but those were not worth catching in his mind.

Just then, a girlish scream in the distance could be heard. When the raven haired boy looked up, he saw a girl his age practically running for her life. A flock of angry Spearow was chasing her, and they looked pissed off.

The raven haired trainer was on his feet immediately. ''Pikachu, Meloetta, we need to help that girl right now!''

This would be Ash's first serious fight, and he was more than ready for it.

* * *

 **Did you like it, love it, hate it? I like reviews :) Until next time!**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	3. Blessed by the Rainbow

**Third chapter people. Thanks for all the reviews, likes and favourites :D I hope you will enjoy ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did Alolan forms wouldn't be Kanto exclusive.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

''Wow,'' Ash exclaimed in pure awe. He was surprised with Meloetta once again.

The boy's quiet picnic was interrupted when a flock of angry Spearow had tried to hurt a red haired girl. Not about to sit by and watch idly, he had jumped in to save her.

He'd ordered his Pikachu to use Thundershock on the normal and flying types, and since he had no idea what Meloetta's moves did, he'd said the first thing that came to his mind.

Which was Hyper Voice.

Needless to say, the attack had quite a lot of range.

A cascade of fainted Spearow rained out of the sky from the powerful cry Meloetta used. The whole flock was defeated in one blow.

The legendary pokemon looked at her handy work in satisfaction, until she noticed her trainer's stunned look that turned into a wide grin.

''That was so awesome!'' he cried out. ''I can't believe you just did that.''

He hugged her floating form from behind while she giggled, a cute blush forming on her face.

''Mel mel,'' she responded sweetly, happily hugging him back.

Pikachu smirked.

''Looks like somebody is in love,'' he teased.

''Maybe,'' she replied back shyly.

The electric rodent snickered and shook his head.

Meanwhile, the red haired girl had watched the spectacle unfold with utter shock written on her face. This boy had just saved her! With a Pikachu and a pokemon she had never seen before!

The raven haired trainer focused his attention on her.

''Are you all right?'' he asked.

''I-I guess so,'' she stuttered in embarrassment. ''Thank you.''

Ash smiled. ''I'm glad you didn't get hurt. My name's Ash by the way, and this is Meloetta,'' he pointed at the pokemon still hugging him, ''and Pikachu.'' He finished his introduction by giving his electric starter a rub.

''Melo!''

''Pika pika!''

''It's nice meeting you, Ash. My name is Misty,'' she said.

Misty took a step closer to get a better look at the normal and psychic type who had now taken a seat on Ash's shoulder.

''I've never seen a Meloetta before. She's a strong pokemon, isn't she?''

''Apparently,'' Ash laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. He'd no idea about her power either until just now.

Meloetta stifled a giggle, her melodic humming telling Ash she was enjoying herself.

''What happened that those Spearow tried to attack you?''

''Well, I was fishing in a creek downhill, trying to catch some good water pokemon to add to my team. Unfortunately, my patience ran a little thin and I accidentally hooked a Spearow with my backswing.''

She paused and shivered to get the last of her anxiety to leave her body.

''I was mad and the Spearow was mad too. You can basically guess what happened after that.''

Ash nodded in understanding.

''Luckily, everything turned out okay in the end, right?'' he offered.

''Thanks to you,'' she replied kindly. ''You're a trainer, correct?''

''I am. I was on my way to Viridian city. From there I plan to travel into the Viridian woods towards Pewter city to get my first badge!'' Ash told her proudly.

''That's a solid plan. Be careful though. The forest is known for its... bug type pokemon,'' Misty shivered again, ''and the Pewter city gym uses rock types. Your Pikachu won't be a good match-up.''

''Thanks for the advice! I'm sure to stock up on plenty antidotes before entering the forest and I still got Meloetta with me too.''

''Melo Meloetta,'' she stated confidently, punching the air a couple of times to show that she was not afraid for a couple of rock types.

Misty giggled. ''It seems you're in good hands, Ash. But unlike the first gym, the second gym leader is a lot tougher!'' She winked, gave him a hug and strolled away.

''Wait! Where are you going?''

''To get my bike!'' she hollered back. ''Let's meet up in Cerulean city. That's where I live, all right?''

''How am I supposed to find you there? The city is huge.''

''Don't worry about it, I'll find you there. That's a promise!'' She waved one last time before she was out of sight.

''Well, she was certainly nice,'' Ash spoke with a small smile to his pokemon.

''Melo mel!''

''Huh, you think that I'm nicer?''

She nodded her head enthusiastically.

Ash laughed. ''Silly girl. I'm your trainer. That's not a fair comparison.''

She giggled, happily floating laps around him before surprising him with a sudden peck on his lips.

The raven haired boy gasped, his cheeks turning warm. This was the third time she had kissed him and before he could even comprehend what had happened, she was already gone again.

''You're a devious little pokemon, aren't you?'' Ash accused her playfully.

She blew him a raspberry that he just couldn't ignore.

''Oh you're on! Pikachu. You'll get a whole bottle of ketchup if you help me catch her!''

The rodent's ears perked up almost comically. He was at Ash's side in an instant, cheeks sparking dangerously with electricity.

''Sorry girl, but you're going down,'' he taunted.

Meloetta gave a happy cry of her name, giggling all the way when Ash and Pikachu set chase.

* * *

The afternoon went by quickly. Of course, Ash and Pikachu were no match for Meloetta in reality, but she hadn't had so much fun in a long while. Occasionally, she would give her trainer the illusion she was tired until, at the last moment, she dodged him yet again.

Pikachu had to give up after a while, his stamina pretty much drained in a matter of minutes. Ash made a mental note to train his starter on endurance first as he returned him to his pokeball.

Now it was only him versus the giggling normal and psychic type and she grew bolder as time passed. First, she acted all innocent, dodging his attempts to catch her, until she began stealing kisses whenever Ash became close.

The boy's cheeks were burning like two lamp posts. Every time he thought that he had her cornered, she managed to escape once again. Not only that, but then she would appear before him and softly press her lips against his own.

Her faint blush, those sweet blue eyes and her delicacy whenever she kissed him captured Ash's heart like a brightly burning flame. His heart was beating almost out of his chest; his lungs were burning, screaming for oxygen, yet Ash didn't stop his chase. Anything to feel those lips touch him one more time. He realized that he wasn't chasing her anymore to catch her. He chased her because he wanted her affections.

Twilight was approaching; a beautiful hue of red and orange filled the sky. Ash finally had to call it quits. He desperately caught his breath, lying on the soft grass below him with his eyes closed. After a while, he felt a petite form joining him, her body nestling on top of his.

Ash opened his eyes to see Meloetta stare right back at him, her face radiating kindness.

''Mel,'' she chirped softly.

''I had fun too,'' he whispered in return, gently rubbing his hand against her cheek.

Her blush intensified. She held his hand with her own hands, eyes turning soft and face getting closer to the boy; so close he could feel her breath on his lips.

''Mel melo,'' she told him softly. Meloetta didn't wait for an answer. Her lips were back on Ash's, and this time, she deepened the kiss, getting her message across spectacularly.

Ash didn't resist her. Instead, he kissed her back, his body filling with happy thoughts as this sweet girl on top of him showed exactly how she felt.

She murmured cutely, her soft lips firmly interlocked with Ash's. It felt like an eternity for the raven haired boy, a heaven only Meloetta could make him experience.

Then, she broke the kiss, gauging Ash's reaction.

His eyes sparkled, and a stupid grin was present on his face.

''Is this how you feel about me?''

"Meloetta!'' She nodded her head without a doubt.

Ash laughed. ''Aren't you the sweetest pokemon I've ever met?''

''Melo melo.'' She blushed.

''Well, I like you too,'' he whispered. ''So why don't you kiss me again?''

He didn't have to ask twice. Her lips were back on his immediately, her happy humming creating a melody that soothed Ash to the bone.

So the duo continued to enjoy each other's company, until after a while, Ash saw something peculiar.

''Who's that pokemon?'' he asked his legendary pokemon, pointing at the sky.

Meloetta looked up and her smile turned wide.

''That's lady Ho-oh!'' she said excitedly in pokespeech. Loud enough for the rainbow pokemon to have heard her, because when she saw the chosen one and Meloetta, she couldn't help but approach them.

The massive pokemon landed gracefully in front of them. She gave the human and pokemon a motherly smile.

''Greetings, Ash, Meloetta,'' she said warmly.

''Wow! You can talk! And you know my name!'' Ash exclaimed in amazement.

''Indeed, sweet human of mine. I hope everything has been going smoothly with your journey so far?''

''I couldn't have wished for a better start!''

''Good. I see you have been taking good care of Meloetta, and she, in turn, has taken good care of you. Isn't that right?'' She smirked at the small legendary.

''Right!'' Meloetta squeaked, her blush returning tenfold. Lady Ho-oh knew exactly what was going on.

''I heard from Arceus about your plan, Meloetta. How you managed to change that old pokemon's mind is beyond me, but I want you to know that I'll be supporting you all the way. Take good care of the chosen one.'''

''You know I will, Lady Ho-oh. I love this human very much.''

''As you have shown,'' she teased.

She turned her attention to Ash.

''Hear my blessing, special human. Be graced by the colors of my wings. Go forth and may the oceans bow for you like they do to Kyogre. Let the sky shiver in your presence like Rayquaza, the earth rumble like Groudon. Be strong like Regigigas, patient as Dialga and wise as Palkia. May Meloetta soothe your troubling soul with her melody whenever your road is filled with obstacles. Hold your pokemon close, and your family even closer. Your tale has just started, young one, enjoy it while it lasts.''

Ash was overwhelmed. He didn't know any of the pokemon she just blessed him with, bar Meloetta of course. Hell, he didn't even know her name! But one thing he knew was for certain; he was destined to win. He had Pikachu and Meloetta at his side, what more could he ask for?

''Thank you, ma'am,'' he uttered, gracefully bowing out of respect.

''Stand up, young one. You shouldn't need to bow for me. Take my blessing at heart and follow your dreams.''

Ho-oh prepared to take off.

''Wait! Can I at least know your name?''

She smiled as she spread her wings.

''I am the Rainbow.''

With those last words, she took off at tremendous speeds, until she was nothing but a speck on the horizon.

''Melo Meloetta.''

''You seem happy,'' Ash noted slyly.

She giggled and hugged him, her sweet voice music to Ash's ears.

He held her close, steadily walking in the direction of Viridian city.

''I'm kinda in the mood for some food. What do you say we visit a nice restaurant when we have arrived?''

''Mel!'' she agreed wholeheartedly.

So the blessed human continued his travels with Meloetta at his side while they knew that today had marked the start of something truly special between them. Something which they also knew, could blossom into so much more.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? I read every single review, so definitely tell me what you think :) Next chapter prepare for trouble! Until next time.**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	4. Prepare for trouble

**Next chapter has arrived people. I hope that you will enjoy ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did pokemon wouldn't be version exclusive.**

''Meloetta,'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

In the Viridian pokemon center, Ash was calling professor Oak's number. After an incredible dinner, which Meloetta and Pikachu enjoyed a lot, they decided to check in for the night.

Meloetta was currently sitting on Ash's right shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his while Pikachu was on his left.

After a while, the phone was answered and the screen in front of them came alive.

''Hi professor,'' the raven haired trainer greeted jovially.

''Ash, my dear boy! How's everything going? I see that you have arrived in Viridian city?''

''Safe and sound. We ran into a little bit of trouble when a girl got chased by a flock of Spearow, but with the help of my pokemon I was able to defeat them.''

''Melo!''

''Pika!''

The professor nodded his head approvingly. ''I'm impressed, Ash.''

''It was nothing, really,'' the raven haired trainer replied sheepishly.

''I see that Pikachu has warmed up to you as well. That's great!'' the professor noted. ''And it seems Meloetta really likes you.''

Ash blushed a deep red at professor Oak's last remark while Meloetta giggled melodically. She happily nodded her head and gave her trainer a soft kiss on his cheek.

''Yeah she does. She has been very affectionate to me,'' the trainer replied with embarrassment.

Pikachu snickered at the adorable scene.

''Anyway Ash, I'm glad your journey is off to such a strong start. The next town you'll travel to is going to be Pewter city I presume?''

''That's right, professor! We'll be staying the night here and then head towards the Viridian woods,'' Ash responded. ''That reminds me. When I tried to use my pokedex on Meloetta earlier, it didn't recognize her.''

''That's because your pokedex only knows Kanto and Johto pokemon. Meloetta is from Unova,'' the professor replied knowingly.

''Wow, really?''

''Mel mel,'' she stated to Ash with a faint blush.

''Indeed. And since she's such a rare species, we simply don't know much about her.''

''What about her ability? She apparently has something called Serene Grace; perhaps you know what it does professor?''

Professor Oak pondered the question for a moment. ''If I'm not mistaken, Serene Grace doubles the chance for an additional effect happening. For instance, the move Rock smash may lower a pokemon's defense by one. But with Serene Grace, it'll always lower the opponent's defense.''

''Cool! That can come in pretty handy!'' the raven haired boy commented with excitement.

''Yes, but it only works with moves that have additional effects in the first place.''

Meloetta nodded her head, confirming Oak's story to be completely true.

''Okay! I'll remember that, professor. Thank you!''

''Good. Also, your mom is here and really wants to speak with you. Here she is.''

The professor disappeared and instead, a delighted woman entered the screen.

''Ash! Honey, I'm so glad to see you again,'' Delia spoke to her son.

''Mom, it's been less than a day.''

Ash's pokemon giggled.

''Are you enjoying your journey so far?'' she asked curiously.

''Yeah! It's been really fun.''

Ash's mom nodded. ''I understand. Having such cute pokemon at your side makes it an absolute blast. I remember your dad being just as enthusiastic.''

She smiled fondly at the memories, before continuing.

''And it looks like your pokemon are enjoying themselves just as much. Aren't you both the most adorable pokemon ever!'' she cooed.

This time, it was Ash's turn to snicker as both Pikachu and Meloetta turned an adorable red.

''Take good care of them, Ash. they're your responsibility.''

''I know mom! I'll treat them with lots of love.'' He eyed Meloetta with a smug grin, whose cheeks burned even brighter.

''Mel,'' she warned him playfully.

''I have to go now, sweetie. Be careful and don't forget to change your underwear!''

''Mom!''

The screen went black and both of Ash's pokemon laughed jovially.

''It's not funny you guys!'' he stated, cheeks burning with shame.

However, Meloetta and Pikachu only laughed louder.

* * *

Not much later, Ash was drinking an ice cold lemonade while Meloetta was contently sitting on his lap and Pikachu was resting on top of Ash's cap. They ignored all the stares of curiosity they got from other pokemon trainers and instead discussed their training schedule.

''Okay, once we're inside the forest, I want to train you guys and potentially catch a new pokemon. These low-level bug types are perfect for Pikachu, but I don't think they will be much of a challenge for you, Meloetta.''

''Mel,'' she agreed. She needed something a little bit more potent, but what?

As if on cue, a loud explosion went off inside the main hall. Panic sent most of the trainers in a frenzy as smoke filled the building.

The electricity went out, and three silhouettes appeared amidst all of the chaos.

''What's going on?'' Ash yelled.

The three goons heard him and laughed maniacally.

''I'll tell you what's going on; prepare for trouble!'' a feminine voice responded.

''And it won't be so nice, so make it double!'' a masculine voice added.

''To protect the world from devastation.''

''To unite all people within our nation.''

''To denounce the evil of truth and love.''

''Te extend our reach to the stars above.''

''Jessie,'' the woman introduced.

''James,'' the man followed in tune.

''Team Rocket blasting off at the speed of light.''

''Surrender now or prepare to fight.''

''Meowth! That's right,'' the third and final voice concluded, which surprisingly was a talking pokemon.

''Team Rocket!'' Ash whispered to his pokemon. He knew that they meant trouble. Professor Oak had specifically warned him for them, and now he was face to face with these adversaries.

Meloetta knew Team Rocket all too well herself. She even had been face to face with their boss before, Giovanni! He had threatened to kill Ash if she didn't surrender, and it made her blood boil just thinking about it.

''What do you guys want?'' Ash demanded from them.

''A loud mouth, aren't you?'' Jessie replied. ''But since we have your attention, I suppose we could tell you. We're here to steal all the pokemon and deliver them to our boss.''

''Yes,'' James continued. ''Without electricity, the pokeball system doesn't work either, so snatching them won't be a problem.''

''Easy money, easy profit. It's business, twerp!'' Meowth stated.

Ash gritted his teeth and balled his fists. There was no way he would let these villains get away with it. Pikachu's cheeks were crackling dangerously with electricity, ready to blast Team Rocket whenever his trainer gave the command.

Meloetta however, was almost seething. Her innocent and sparkling blue eyes were turned menacing and intimidating. Pure hatred filled her body and she wanted nothing more than to destroy these pathetic human beings and that Meowth into oblivion.

''I won't allow you to! If you want these pokemon, you have to go through me first!'' Ash shouted steadfastly.

''A twerp with some backbone, huh? I can appreciate that. However, it'll be a useless attempt. Go, Ekans,'' Jessie shouted.

''You too, Koffing.''

Both poison types took the field, ready for battle.

''Melo meloetta,'' the legendary pokemon pleaded to Ash.

''Huh, you want to take them on?''

She nodded her head. The glint in her eyes was that of a raging fire. She wasn't going to hold anything back and Ash knew it.

''Okay then girl, go get them.''

Meloetta floated in front of her trainer, her face absolutely murderous.

''If you guys are smart, then you will retreat right now. My partner is not going to go easy on you,'' Ash warned them.

However, they just laughed obnoxiously. ''Oh please. Just because you have a pokemon we've never seen before doesn't mean we're going to back off. She'll be a nice bonus for our boss!'' James retaliated.

''Indeed, now Ekans, use Bite.''

''Use Smog, Koffing.''

Both pokemon attacked. But to their utter surprise, they were bound by an unknown force; something that became painful rather quick.

They soon learned the problem. Meloetta's eyes were glowing, her psychic had successfully stopped the two pokemon without trouble.

''Now, Meloetta. Use psychic and send these goons flying,'' Ash commanded.

She obeyed. The ground shook and Jessie, James and Meowth quickly began to regret their action. Before they knew it, Meloetta had a psychic hold on them too. Ekans and Koffing were returned to sender with alarming speeds. Both were smashed forcefully into their trainers, who tumbled over with a loud grunt.

Pure pain surged through their bodies as the normal and psychic type now bombarded them with kinetic energy.

''Now, Pikachu. Finish this with a Thundershock.''

Ash's starter did so all too eagerly. An explosion followed when the goons were electrocuted, sending them high into the air.

''Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off!''

They disappeared over the horizon.

* * *

Soon after the chaos, order returned in the Viridian pokemon center. Officer Jenny had been informed, and word spread quickly about a lone trainer stopping Team Rocket with his Pikachu and a mysterious second pokemon.

Ash had decided to find the comfort of his bed covers. He was dead tired. If he wanted to go through Viridian forest tomorrow, he needed all the energy that he could have. Pikachu had found a nice spot on Ash's side while Meloetta had herself snuggled firmly against him.

''I'm proud of both you,'' Ash praised his pokemon.

Pikachu gave a sleepy yawn, a small smile was all he could manage to give his trainer before he was off to dreamland.

''Melo melo,'' his other pokemon responded kindly. Her eyes were filled with admiration for Ash. He dared to go against Team Rocket, like he had done so many times in her past. It left her with no doubt why Arceus chose Ash as his chosen one. He was the purest spirit she had ever met.

She closed the gap rather quickly, and had her lips on his in a sweet kiss. Ash wasn't surprised anymore, instead, he longed for it. It was such an otherworldly experience that he couldn't get enough of it.

Her lips were soft and she shivered in his embrace. She desperately wanted to deepen it; never would she want to let him go. It was all too cute for Ash.

After he had broken the kiss, Meloetta began to sing softly, a sweet lullaby that had the raven haired boy enraptured to his very soul. His eyelids grew heavy; Meloetta's smooth voice relaxing him completely and sending him off to sleep.

Meloetta smiled at her trainer's sleeping form. When she had made this decision to join Ash on his journey, some doubts had been present in her mind.

She kissed him on his nose lovingly and closed her eyes.

Now though, she hadn't been surer of a decision than she had ever been.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Please review, it does wonders for my motivation to write the next chapter as quickly as possible! Next chapter battle for the Boulder badge! Until then ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	5. Victory dance

**Hi guys! Welcome back to the next chapter. I apologise for the somewhat late update. I've been fairly busy with exams, and as you all may know, pokemon Sun and Moon is coming out this week :)**

 **It basically means updates will continue to be a little slow. In any case, I will hope that you enjoy this chapter ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, I wouldn't nerf pokemon, only buff where necessary.**

''Meloetta'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

Inside the Pewter city gym, Brock was silently waiting for a new challenger to approach. A single lamp vaguely showed his calm composure. Otherwise, the place was shrouded in darkness.

It was relatively silent as well, until the sound of footsteps could be heard echoing through the building. Brock smiled inwardly.

'A trainer! And if I have to guess somebody who has just started his journey. This should be interesting,' he thought.

Sure enough, a boy with a Pikachu appeared in front of him.

''Hi! You must be Brock, the gym leader. My name's Ash and I would like to challenge you to a pokemon battle,'' the raven haired boy said enthusiastically.

''You are correct, Ash. I am indeed the gym leader,'' Brock responded, nodding his head. ''However, are you certain you are ready to face me?''

''Huh? What do you mean?''

Brock elaborated. ''Unlike a normal battle, this will be an official league battle. Should you win, then you will receive a badge as proof of your victory over me. We will both choose two pokemon to battle.''

''I know,'' Ash responded.

Brock raised a brow. He hadn't expected such a calm answer. ''And you also know I'll be using rock types, correct?''

''Certainly! My _partner_ and I are more than ready.''

Brock looked unsurely at Ash's cute electric rodent.

'This trainer clearly hasn't done his homework,' he thought disappointingly.

''Tell me, Ash, how long have you been with your Pikachu?''

''About a week, I guess.''

''I can see that.'' Brock nodded. ''Your Pikachu is still in his cute phase. Your partner is not strong enough to win from me yet,'' he concluded. ''However, as a gym leader, I can't decline any challenge. So what's it going to be?''

Ash smiled. ''Oh, but Pikachu is my _starter_ pokemon. He won't be battling because that wouldn't be smart to do. Instead, _she_ will battle you.''

From the shadows, a second pokemon floated in Brock's line of sight. She gave him a cheery smile.

''This is my _partner_ , Meloetta. She will be your opponent!''

''Melo!'' she chirped happily at the baffled look of the gym leader.

''I've never seen a Meloetta before,'' Brock muttered. ''All right then, I'll accept your challenge!''

The lights inside the gym turned on. In front of Ash was a battlefield purely made out of rocks and boulders of all sorts. Brock took the spot at the very end.

''If you're ready, then we will begin.''

''Wait. Can I have a moment to discuss some things with my partner?'' Ash asked.

Brock nodded, a smile spreading on his face. ''Sure. Take as long as you need.''

Ash and Meloetta huddled close, going over their battle strategy once more.

''So, since rock types have weak special defense, we're going to keep on hitting specially. Mainly Psychic, and Hyper voice if necessary.''

''Mel mel,'' she agreed cutely. The small legendary nuzzled Ash's cheek, before taking the spotlight.

''It seems you're ready then, Ash,'' Brock said, excitement running through his veins. Battling an unknown pokemon fired him up. Even though he rather would've been a pokemon breeder, he still had a responsibility of taking care of the gym and his siblings.

''Yes, let's have a great match!''

Brock nodded, and threw his first pokemon on the field. ''Geodude, I choose you.''

The rock and ground type appeared, and looked at his opponent, seemingly unimpressed.

''Since you're the challenger, the first move is all yours, Ash,'' Brock offered.

''Okay! Meloetta, Psychic!'' Ash commanded.

She obeyed cheerfully. Geodude was thrown around the field like a rag doll before he hit the ground with a loud slam.

He didn't get up after that.

''What!?'' Brock shouted flabbergasted. The battle had literally started twenty seconds ago and his first pokemon was already defeated.

'Just what kind of pokemon is Meloetta? Am I dealing with a legendary here?' Brock thought. Sweat dripped from his face; he was about to lose spectacularly.

''Yeah, you did it! Great job, Meloetta!'' Ash praised.

''Pika pika!''

''Mel!'' she cooed back, blowing her trainer a lovely kiss.

''It's not over yet, Ash!'' Brock stated, ''let's see how Meloetta will deal with this!''

Brock threw his Onix on the field. The massive serpent let out a loud roar, however, Meloetta was unfazed.

''Now Onix, use Rock tomb!''

''Psychic, Meloetta!'' Ash countered.

Before Brock's pokemon could even react, the massive rock and ground type was hoisted high in the air. Brock's eyes turned to saucers when Onix was repeatedly slammed into the ground until he simply stopped moving.

''Impossible,'' Brock muttered under his breath.

''Yeah, Meloetta! We won,'' Ash cheered loudly.

''Meloetta!'' the legendary exclaimed sweetly to Ash, hugging her trainer close after a job well done.

Brock returned his fainted pokemon and walked over to Ash, Meloetta and Pikachu. ''Well, that certainly was an interesting match.''

He chuckled and cleared his throat.

''Anyway, since you won, I present you with this official symbol: the Boulder badge. Please accept it.''

Ash thanked Brock profusely and took the item with grace.

''All right, I got a Boulder badge!''

The raven haired boy did a little victory pose while his pokemon joined in happily. Brock just smiled.

''Listen closely, Ash. If you aim to be the very best, my advice would be to head for Mt. Moon. Behind it, you will find Cerulean city, where the second gym leader is located.''

''I'll keep that in mind, thanks, Brock.''

Ash waved him goodbye, leaving the gym and heading towards the pokemon center.

* * *

After Ash and his two pokemon had eaten, the young man was contemplating what the best course of action was. After breezing through Viridian forest and now the first gym, maybe it was a good idea to catch a new pokemon for his team.

''What do you guys think? Viridian forest was a good place to train you, Pikachu, but an additional sparring partner around the same level as you would be nice.''

''Pika!'' he agreed wholeheartedly.

''Besides, some type coverage never hurts.''

''Melo mel.''

''Hmm? What's that, Meloetta?'' Ash questioned.

The cute legendary was holding a local newspaper, and was pointing with one of her dainty hands at a picture.

''Huh? An annual pokemon dance competition?''

Meloetta nodded her head enthusiastically.

''But how's that going to help us catch a new friend?''

The legendary pokemon stifled a giggle. She gave her trainer a quick peck on the lips before redirecting his attention to the bottom of the article.

''First prize includes a trophy, one-thousand pokedollars... and an _Eevee_?''

Quickly, Ash read on.

''This Eevee is bred specifically for battle. Since there are so many evolutions for this pokemon, the winner may choose its moveset. Should the desired evolution require a particular item, then this will be included in the prize too.''

Ash gasped.

''Do you know what this means?''

''Mel melo!'' she nodded.

''I can evolve it in whatever I want! It would be perfect.''

''Pikachu pika?''

''Huh? How am I going to win this event?''

Pikachu nodded.

''Oh yeah.'' Ash laughed sheepishly. ''Can you dance, Pikachu?''

The electric rodent smiled and did some silly moves, confirming Ash's suspicions.

''Right. So, I know you can sing, Meloetta, but can you dance as well?''

The small legendary grinned mischievously. ''Melo meloetta,'' she stated with a small blush.

''I have to wait and see, huh? Well, I trust you. Let's sign up then.''

Meloetta squealed and gave Ash another quick peck on the lips. Mentally, she was preparing herself to reveal another side to her trainer entirely.

* * *

''Next up, we will have Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and his pokemon, Meloetta!''

The crowd cheered loudly while the judges expectantly waited to see something beautiful.

Ash and Pikachu were watching on the sideline. Meloetta gave her trainer a cute wink, before she closed her eyes and beautiful music began to play.

Slowly, Meloetta began to sing on the beat, but as she did so, she began to glow and change as well.

The whole crowd, including the judges and Ash, watched with awe as Meloetta changed from her Aria form to her Pirouette form.

A lump was stuck in Ash's throat. It was like meeting Meloetta all over again, and it seemed she enjoyed his reaction all too much.

She giggled, a blush overcoming her features. The small legendary gracefully swayed her hips to and fro, her body putting on a show for her trainer, and her trainer only.

While the crowd was watching her magnificent dance with bated breath as well, Meloetta's attention was solely focused on Ash. Only for Ash she would truly dance; this was just the tip of the iceberg of what she was capable of, and the raven haired boy knew it damn well.

Up and down she went, her improvised choreography better than any other pokemon dance the judges had ever seen.

Finally, she ended her performance with a beautiful jump split, landing gracefully on her small feet.

The crowd erupted in loud cheers after what they just had witnessed. Even the judges were clapping like crazy.

Meloetta panted. She hadn't felt so happy and appreciated in forever. That feeling was only augmented tenfold when her trainer hugged her from behind.

''You were so amazing,'' Ash praised. ''But I bet you can do much better if you wanted to,'' he whispered in her ear.

''Mel,'' she replied huskily.

''Dance for me tonight?''

She wanted nothing more than to kiss him right then and there, but kept her composure. If Ash wanted a private show, she was more than happy to give him one.

''Mel mel,'' she said eagerly.

After Ash and Meloetta had left the stage, and all the other contestants had had their chance to shine, it was no surprise who the winner was going to be.

Meloetta had absolutely blown the competition away, and with much praise, Ash accepted his trophy and prize money.

''Congratulations, young man. You are the first trainer to ever win this competition at such a young age. You may be proud of yourself.''

''Thank you, but it's my pokemon who you should praise.''

Meloetta gave her trainer a sweet kiss on his cheek out of appreciation.

''It seems she's very close to you as well. Anyway, as you know, you've also won your very own Eevee. Have you already decided in which pokemon you want it to evolve?''

''In fact, my pokemon and I have talked about it, and came to an agreement rather quickly.''

Ash grinned, before giving his answer.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please :) Let me know which Eeveelution Ash should get. The best answer will probably decide the outcome. Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	6. Mount Moon

**Hey guys, welcome back! I apologise for the inconsistency these last weeks. Now that the year is almost over though, updates should come out quicker.**

 **By the way, thank you guys so much for all your reviews on last chapter :D I read every single one of them, and your support is greatly appreciated. A majority of you voted for the same Eeveelution, so it should be no surprise who the winner is ;) Enjoy the chapter ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon! If I did, more characters would've been available to battle against in the Battle Tree.**

''Meloetta'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

At the foot of Mt. Moon, a certain raven haired boy was pumping himself up for the cave ahead. After he'd won an Eevee, thanks to his Meloetta's incredible dance performance last day, the young trainer had decided to rest for the night, before continuing his journey straight towards Cerulean city.

''This is it guys, only one obstacle remains in our path before we can challenge the Cerulean gym and receive our second badge,'' Ash spoke jovially.

''Meloetta mel,'' the small legendary happily agreed, nuzzling close to Ash.

Last night had been simply incredible for her. While it satisfied Meloetta tremendously to win Ash's first badge for him, and also a dance competition afterwards, nothing could've prepared her for the private after show she'd performed for her trainer.

Basically, she'd danced her heart out for the boy, pouring everything that she had in her graceful moves; a performance of an angel that nobody could ever hope to match.

The surprise on Ash's face that Meloetta could change forms at will with a pretty devastating attack, namely Relic Song, still was evident through the breathtaking performance she'd given him.

It had made her burst out in giggles; Ash's silly face another reason why she liked the young trainer very much.

At one point, she'd even given him a lap dance, although Ash had no idea what she was trying to achieve exactly, Meloetta knew that he found it a surprisingly pleasant experience nonetheless; courtesy of the fiery blush on his cheeks and look of amazement in his eyes.

It probably helped she was teasingly kissing him every so often as well, her lips barely brushing his own, before she moved back and seductively winked at him.

Ash's shy reaction to it all was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

Finally, she had finished her dance with a proper kiss; one that she had longed for. It had felt like she had been teasing herself just as much with holding back her eagerness to show the boy her affections.

Not any longer.

His lips were like a sweet melody to Meloetta; a better song could not have existed in her mind. He was all the instrumental she'd ever need and that much more.

The evening was concluded on a more serious note. Ash had explained to his new team member, Eevee, what his plan of action was.

''So, Meloetta, Pikachu and I have decided on your evolution, and I think you're very much going to like it,'' Ash had tittered in excitement.

''Vee?''

''Well, I didn't know this either, but Meloetta told me there's this very special evolution that is mostly only seen in the Kalos region.''

Eevee tilted her head.

The raven haired trainer continued. ''You'll become a cute Sylveon, a fairy type which will cover Meloetta's dark weakness completely. Also, I think they're straight up adorable, wouldn't you agree?''

Ash showed Eevee a picture.

Needless to say, her eyes literally began to shine and sparkle. A look of pure happiness was on her muzzle, and she began to hop up and down in absolute joy.

''I'll take that as a yes,'' Ash had laughed.

So, with Eevee's consent, the trainer had happily set out to Mt. Moon, content in training her alongside his Pikachu.

''What do you guys think? This seems like a pretty challenging place,'' Ash commented.

''Pika pika''

''Vee Eevee.''

''Oh?'' Ash responded. ''So you guys think this'll be a piece of cake, huh?''

They both nodded their heads in assurance.

''Well, let's test that theory then. A bottle of ketchup for you, Pikachu, and some Pokebeans for Eevee if you indeed manage to get me through this cave without any trouble.''

Ash looked at Meloetta for confirmation. She nodded her head sweetly, and gave him a peck on the lips for a job well done. Being a trainer also meant coming up with good strategies, and rewarding his pokemon for their effort was a good way to build motivation and affection; something Ash had thought up himself.

Evolving Eevee into Sylveon had deluded Ash last evening. But with some guidance from Meloetta, he finally understood how to approach the situation; raise her affection, while she also knew a fairy attack.

Buying Pokebeans was a smart move in that case.

Both Pikachu and Eevee were ready, and with their heads held high, they entered Mt. Moon, followed closely by Ash and Meloetta.

* * *

Mt. Moon was large, to say the least, but Pikachu and Eevee surprisingly had little trouble against the wild Pokemon, despite the type disadvantage. They covered each other's weaknesses perfectly, a hidden synergy which was instantly unlocked once they entered battle.

Incoming Geodude were distracted by Eevee, who used Baby-doll eyes to lower their attack, while Pikachu used his speed to slowly chip away at the rock and ground types.

Having an Eevee, who was specifically bred for battle, also helped. Her attacking power despite her age was amazing, and Ash was very much pleased with the result, even though they had only just entered the cave.

Having Meloetta as back-up ensured that Pikachu and Eevee could go all out, and after an hour, both pokemon were at the end of their stamina.

''Great job, guys. I'm proud of you,'' Ash praised his hard working pokemon.

''Now I know that I said that you'll get your rewards after we're out of Mt. Moon, but your incredible effort has changed my mind.''

Both pokemon were pleasantly surprised, and thanked Ash profusely before the group decided to take a break to replenish some energy.

''Well?'' Pikachu chirped to Eevee, ''Didn't I tell you Ash was amazing?''

''He is,'' the young pokemon replied back, happily munching on a Pokebean.

''Now I understand why Aunt Melly likes him so much.''

Meloetta smiled, a small blush forming on her cheeks while Pikachu snickered.

''Yeah, Aunt Melly likes Ash _a lot_. That's why she's constantly clinging to him like a Komala,'' Pikachu quipped.

The small legendary puffed up her cheeks, Pikachu's smug smile able to cut diamonds.

''Really?''

''Yep, sweetie,'' Pikachu went on, ''if you like somebody a lot, you want to show it to that person with hugs and kisses. Now Aunt Melly is a little bit sappy, meaning she's more prone to cheesy behavior like that. Your Uncle Pika though, doesn't have this problem,'' he stated proudly.

Eevee ate his words like breakfast, her innocence far greater than her rational thinking; like a little sponge she absorbed every last bit of information.

''So I need to kiss Ash too?'' she wondered out loud. ''Because I like Ash a lot as well!''

Pikachu sweat dropped.

''Eh...'' he muttered, looking desperately at Meloetta for help.

''No, honey,'' she answered sweetly, ''that's only something mature and adult Pokemon would do. Unlike Uncle Pika, he doesn't count.''

She grinned at the grumbling rodent.

''If you really want show how much you care for Ash, you can do so by nuzzling his cheek. It's a great sign of affection.''

Eevee nodded her head enthusiastically at Meloetta's reply.

''Okay,'' she squeaked.

Turning to face Ash, tail wagging cutely behind her rump, she suddenly leaped into the surprised arms of the young trainer.

''I really like you, Ash, will you be my daddy?''

She nuzzled her cheek against his in the most adorable way, her soft fur tickling Ash's skin who began to giggle.

''Eevee, what are you doing?'' he laughed, holding his fox Pokemon in a tight hug. He certainly didn't mind the affection, but what spurred it on was still a mystery to Ash.

''Oh, honey,'' Meloetta whispered emotionally, unable to believe the words Eevee had spoken. ''Of course Ash will be your daddy. He already is.''

Eevee's eyes sparkled once more, a happy squeak escaping her throat.

''Really?''

''He is, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu added, giving her a wink. ''He'll make a beautiful Sylveon out of you yet. Just you wait.''

''I'm so happy. This is the best day ever,'' she cheered, continuing to nuzzle Ash lovingly.

Meloetta could only smile at the sweet scene.

'You're so amazing, Ash. Please, don't ever stop being yourself. Continue to make this world a better place, chosen one,' she thought warmly.

'I love you.'

* * *

Once the group was done resting, they moved further into the cave, before a shout for help broke the peace and quiet.

''Somebody is in trouble,'' Ash stated, running towards the sound to help whoever was being attacked. Sure enough, a young scientist in a lab coat was surrounded by a big flock of Zubat.

''Hang on,'' Ash called out. ''Pikachu, Thundershock. Eevee, use Quick Attack, let's go!''

Both pokemon complied, taking out Zubat in quick succession left and right. While most Zubat fainted in one hit, thanks to the super effective attack from Pikachu, any who didn't were quickly scooped up by Eevee, once again showing their synergy in battle.

The remaining wild Zubat were driven off, leaving a flustered scientist behind.

''Oh, thank you so much, young man,'' he replied appreciatively once he realised he wasn't in danger anymore, bowing deeply and thanking Ash over and over again.

''I was suddenly attacked by these wild Zubat when I was studying the mysterious moonstone. Thanks to you though, my research is saved. I can't thank you enough!''

Ash rubbed his head sheepishly. ''It was no trouble, really. My pokemon did all the work, so it should be _them_ who you should be thanking, not me.''

''Oh, but of course! Thank you as well,'' the scientist stated to Pikachu and Eevee, though they appeared very blurry to him.

''I seem to have lost my glasses though.''

Luckily, Meloetta was kind enough to return them to the scientist, and once he could see clearly again, he gasped rather loudly.

''You have a Meloetta!'' he stated in pure awe and wonder, looking at the legendary from every angle.

''Yeah, she cheered me up when I was feeling down, kinda stuck with me, and has been my partner ever since. I'm surprised you recognised her species immediately though.''

''But of course. I study rare forces, like the moonstone for example. But Meloetta's ability to transform into a different form at will has always compelled me. To finally see one in real life,'' he muttered.

Meloetta awkwardly backed off from the scientist, until she was savely behind Ash.

''Ah, where are my manners? My name's Seymour. It's a pleasure to meet you, young man,'' Seymour introduced kindly.

''It's nice to meet you too. My name's Ash and I want to be the best pokemon trainer in the world!''

''Is that so? That's quite the honorable goal you've got there. Tell you what, since you've helped me out so much, let me show you my gratitude.''

Seymour reached inside his pocket, and held out a grey stone in his palm. ''This is a moonstone, but since I have multiple, I want you to have this. It's said to evolve certain species of pokemon.''

Ash took the item with grace, thanking Seymour profusely.

''Don't mention it, Ash. It's the least I can do. I hope you'll put it to good use!''

Seymour bid the raven haired trainer farewell, leaving Ash alone with his pokemon again.

''Mel...''

Ash began to laugh. ''You really didn't like that guy, huh?''

Meloetta shook her head, a shiver traveling down her spine.

''Oh come, he wasn't _that_ bad. Now you're just exaggerating.''

Meloetta pouted, which soon turned into a girlish squeal and a lot of giggles as Ash began to tickle her.

''There we go,'' he laughed as he relentlessly kept his assault going, ''that face is a lot prettier on you.''

''Mel mel,'' she murmured cutely after Ash had stopped.

Her face inched slowly closer to her trainer, until she passionately captured his lips with her own.

Ash really began to love the close contact he had with Meloetta. The small legendary made him feel so happy, like not even Gary could sour his mood. Her lips were soft and sweet, like cherries, and her melodic moans of happiness simply captivating.

He never wanted it to end.

Sadly, it did end for Ash, but the warmth remained, especially when Meloetta hugged him close.

''All right, I think we're all set to get going again. What do you say, guys?''

A series of happy cries was his answer.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviewing really motivates me :) I'll try my best to update as quick as I can. For now, have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year :D Until next time.**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	7. A wild evening

**Happy new year, people! May you all have a blessed 2017 ^^ Enjoy the new chapter :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon! If I did, the seventh gen anime wouldn't look like Yokai watch.**

''Meloetta'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

In the Pokemon center of Cerulean city, Ash and his pokemon were having a nice rest. Mt. Moon had been a little bit more challenging than they'd initially thought, proving to have stronger opponents further inside the ominous tunnels.

Eevee and Pikachu had done their absolute best though, and with a little bit of Meloetta's help, they'd soon reached the end of the cave. Ash was very pleased with Pikachu and Eevee's result, and decided to treat his Pokemon to a little feast.

''You guys were awesome today,'' he'd praised them while they were happily munching away on their food.

''Eevee, vee,'' the normal type squeaked happily. She gave Ash an affectionate nuzzle against his cheek, and resumed to devour her Pokebeans.

Pikachu, likewise, gave a happy cry of his name, while Meloetta stayed silent, and ate her food daintily. Her eyes never left Ash though, a faint blush on her cheeks as she scooted closer to the young pokemon trainer ever so slightly.

''Very subtle,'' Pikachu commented teasingly, resulting in an adorable pout from Meloetta.

''Oh, quiet you,'' she playfully remarked, giving him a raspberry before abandoning her stealthy approach. She promptly perched herself on top of Ash's shoulder while giving his cheek a kiss.

The raven haired boy didn't seem to mind, and smiled at his cute partner, her melodic humming indicating that she was having a great time.

''Tonight, I was thinking we would do something fun, before challenging the Cerulean gym tomorrow,'' Ash stated, eyeing his pokemon gleefully. ''What do you guys say?''

''Melo, mel?''

''Hm? What I had in mind? I was thinking of going for a swim, since this town's leader uses water types, after all. I heard the swimming pool is open until ten in the evening.''

Eevee yipped joyfully in approval, instantly agreeing with her trainer.

''I am going to swim with daddy,'' she sang, her cheers making Meloetta giggle and Pikachu chuckle.

''You certainly will, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu said warmly, ''And tomorrow, you'll have your first official gym leader battle—as will I.''

''Really?''

''Yes, honey,'' Meloetta cooed, nuzzling the young pokemon. ''So be ready to do your best for Ash, okay?''

''I will!'' she squeaked, jumping up and down happily.

Ash laughed at her excitement, before scooping her up and giving her cheek a gentle kiss. ''That reminds me, we will probably meet up with Misty tomorrow,'' he said enthusiastically to Meloetta and Pikachu, before switching his attention to Eevee, ''and I still have to show you to my mom as well,'' he added afterwards.

With Eevee hugged close, Ash made his way to one of the phones. After a quick dial, the screen in front of him lit up, and Delia Ketchum greeted her son.

''Ash, honey, I am so happy to see your face again,'' his mother exclaimed contentedly.

''Hi, mom,'' Ash greeted back, ''I've arrived safely into Cerulean city.''

''Eevee!''

''I'm so glad to hear that, and what an adorable little pokemon do you have with you! Is that your Eevee?''

''She is! Meloetta won her for me in a local dance competition in Pewter city.''

Delia smiled. ''Isn't Meloetta the sweetest pokemon? I understand why you like her so much, Ash.''

The raven haired boy blushed, shyly giving his response.

''Yeah, she's been a very great partner. I think she likes me too.''

''I know, dear. She's floating right behind you, making the most adorable face with her rosy cheeks.''

The legendary squeaked, alarmed that her body had betrayed her so easily. It made a fiery blush erupt on her face that didn't help her at all.

At the same time, Ash was getting flustered as well, surprised for a moment that his Meloetta had been listening to the conversation.

A giggle escaped Delia's lips. ''Are you going to challenge the gym leader soon?''

Ash recomposed himself, let Meloetta sit on his left shoulder, while Pikachu sat on his right, and answered his mom jovially.

''Yes, I'll be planning to challenge the gym tomorrow morning. First, I'll be taking my pokemon for a swim.''

''That sounds lovely, dear.'' Ash's mom nodded her head. ''Have fun, I heard Cerulean has an amazing pool.''

''I heard so too. It's going to be a lot fun for sure.''

''I see you've been taking good care of your pokemon as well. Your team is starting to look very powerful,'' Delia complimented.

''Thank you, mom! they've been training hard for the battle tomorrow. So that's why a nice relaxing swim is just what we need,'' Ash replied.

Eevee tilted her head, happily yipping her name.

''Is that really grandma on the big screen?'' she inquired.

''Yes, that is granny Ketchum,'' Pikachu snickered. Even though Delia was only twenty-nine years old, Eevee technically saw her as her grandma.

''Yay, grandma!'' she cheered.

''Oh, hello to you too, Eevee,'' Delia replied back to her happy cries.

''Will you say hi for me to Mimey and professor Oak?'' Ash asked, ''I've got to go.''

''I understand. A trainer is always busy. I'll send them your regards, and don't forget to call me occasionally.''

Delia waved happily, until the screen turned black.

Satisfied, Ash turned around, and made his preparations for a swim with his pokemon.

* * *

The pool, indeed, was gigantic. Even though it was evening, a lot of people and pokemon were still enjoying themselves thoroughly. Meloetta had decided to stay invisible for the time being. There were rumors floating around about a young trainer obtaining a legendary, and she didn't want to attract unnecessary attention to herself, or Ash.

This didn't mean she couldn't enjoy some quality time with her trainer. Ash had promised to pay for a sauna for an hour, meaning she could cuddle with him all that she wanted without anybody noticing.

''You do know Ash will only be in his swimming trousers in a sauna, right?'' Pikachu had teased, making Meloetta squeak at the mental image.

Pikachu burst out in laughter, resulting in a big splash of water which soaked the electric rodent completely.

Ash didn't even question it, and instead had his eyes focused on a wild water slide. ''Let's go in there!''

Pikachu and Eevee were quick to agree, but Meloetta kindly declined. She didn't particularly enjoy swimming a whole lot.

The raven haired trainer was a bit disappointed. But not for long as he felt two soft lips brush softly against his own. Meloetta was still invisible, so nobody saw the sweet display of affection.

''Mel mel,'' she whispered cutely in his ear.

''I understand. I'll see you in the sauna then,'' Ash whispered back, before letting go of the small legendary and joining his other two pokemon in the water slide.

Since Pikachu and Eevee were both small, they could easily fit on Ash's lap. The two pokemon hollered their lungs out, very much enjoying the slide as the water pushed the trio from the left to the right.

After a while, the end was reached, and they all laughed as they landed with a big splash.

Afterwards, they decided to swim in one of the recreational pools, playing games of tag, until they got tired.

* * *

''You sure you don't want to come to the sauna with me?'' Ash had asked for the third time. Pikachu shook his head. He didn't want to ruin this moment between Ash and Meloetta, so he had opted to look after the young Eevee.

''Pika, pikachu!''

''Okay, if you say so. Well, here's some money for ice cream. I'll be back in an hour, okay?''

Both Pokemon nodded happily, and went to one of the many ice cream stands inside the pool.

Not much later, Ash was inside the sauna, the only other occupant, Meloetta, practically sticking to him like glue. They both were sweating profusely, but Meloetta didn't care. She was hugging Ash close, her beautiful sapphire eyes twinkling like the vast ocean.

''Melo,'' she murmured, her petite body moving upwards feverishly until she was face to face with young trainer. Ash blushed as her hot breath washed over his lips. She had her hands around his neck, not hiding for a second what she truly wanted.

She closed her eyes and went in for the kill, meeting Ash's lips in a soft embrace. She had no idea how long she was there, just pressing her lips against Ash over and over again. She couldn't get enough of the boy, but her fun was rudely inerrupted when a loud explosion shook the sauna from all sides.

''What was that?'' Ash exclaimed worriedly. Soon, commotion was heard from inside the pool, until a voice from a loudspeaker spoke up. ''Ladies and gentlemen, don't worry. We, from Team Rocket, are only hear to steal your pokemon, so prepare for trouble.''

''And with this machine it'll be a lot easier, so make it double!''

Ash growled, as did Meloetta. She thought she had taught those crooks a lesson before. It seems they were a bit more tenacious than she expected.

''I know those voices,'' Ash stated angrily.

''Mel!'' Her reply was ominous, full of hatred for Team Rocket and what they did to her in the past.

Sure enough, when they opened the sauna, a big gaping hole where a machine had blown up the wall was evident, as was the big net full of pokemon Team Rocket tried to steal with them.

''We thank you for your cooperation,'' Jessie, James and Meowth sang in union.

''Hey! Give back those pokemon!'' Ash yelled loudly, getting the attention of the goons.

''It's the twerp!'' James said fearfully.

''He has a Meloetta,'' Jessie added, the memories of that pokemon still haunting her mind.

''Time to go then,'' Meowth concluded, quickly setting the machine into reverse.

''Pika!''

''Vee!''

Both Pikachu and Eevee were caught in the net too, and it was then that something snapped inside the legendary.

''What are you doing, Meowth? Hurry up!'' James stated.

''I'm going full power, but something is stopping us,'' he replied, dreading the answer.

True to his words, Meloetta's eyes were glowing dangerously bright with her massive psychic powers. She held the machine in place, quickly destroying the net with so much pressure, that it would pulverize a human being in mere seconds.

All the Pokemon were freed, while Team Rocket gulped audibly.

''You made a big mistake this time!'' Ash replied dangerously. ''Meloetta, crush that machine. Pikachu use Thundershock to finish it off.''

Both pokemon complied. Team Rocket was lucky Ash had ordered his Pikachu to use Thundershock as well, because otherwise Meloetta would've seriously injured them. Instead of being crushed, the machine exploded at the electric overload, sending the goons flying high up in the air.

''Team Rocket is blasting off again!'' they yelled, disappearing over the horizon with a twinkle.

Meloetta huffed, her rage dying down. She was sure these team Rocket grunts were going to think twice before trying to steal Ash's pokemon ever again.

''Hey everybody! It's the young man with the legendary. He saved our pokemon!'' A random woman yelled.

Soon, all the people were cheering loudly for Ash, congratulating him on a job well done. Ash replied shyly, while his Meloetta hid behind his back.

''Give the boy some space, would you?'' an authorative voice called, making the crowd disperse. In front of Ash was a well dressed man, with two officer Jenny at each side of him.

''Young man, I am the mayor of Cerulean city. What you did today was an act of bravery that shouldn't go unnoticed. You saved all of these Pokemon, so I'd like to invite you to the town hall tomorrow in the morning.''

Ash was flabbergasted for a moment, but he accepted the offer gratefully.

''Then it's settled. Make sure you bring your pokemon with you.'' He then turned his attention to the police officers. ''Officers, I expect you'll take care of the rest.''

They nodded, and went to work. The pool was soon closed, but Ash didn't mind. All his pokemon were safely at his side, and that was what mattered.

''Thank you, Meloetta,'' Ash said, kissing the legendary gingerly on her lips.

''Mel mel,'' she replied with a blush.

In no time, they were back at the pokemon center, and Ash wasted no time in finding the soft confines of his blankets, his pokemon joining him closely. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, after all.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? A review brightens my day :D Until next time.**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	8. A hero's honour

**New chapter, people :) As always, enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, it would've been announced on the Nintendo Switch already.**

''Meloetta'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

In front of Ash was a massive building made entirely out of red brick. In its center, four massive white pillars rose up high in the air, holding the front part of the roof in its place. The roof itself was painted cerulean blue, and the large double doors a fresh white. The windows were also white, and at the top of the pillars, big golden letters indicated the name of the building in all its glory.

''Well,'' Ash muttered in awe to his floating partner, ''I think we're at the right place.''

''Melo,'' she replied with a whisper. Even the small legendary was amazed with the grandness of the Cerulean city town hall.

After the group had had a nice long rest from the events of yesterday, they had set out in search for the town hall immediately. The mayor had invited them over, after all. For what exactly, Ash didn't know. He could only guess what was in store for him—as did his pokemon.

''Do you think daddy gets a reward?'' Eevee inquired happily. She was currently sitting on Ash's left shoulder, her bushy tail wagging joyfully behind her.

''I'm certain he will, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu responded warmly, sitting on Ash's other shoulder. ''Maybe we will get a reward as well.''

''Really?'' Eevee squeaked.

''Who knows? Why did the mayor state that Ash had to bring us with him otherwise?''

''Yay, I will get a reward!'' she sang.

For Ash, it sounded as a series of very happy yips. He chuckled at Eevee, she always seemed to be so cheerful.

Meloetta, in the meantime, was levitating close by. She decided to stay visible this time around, because she saw no reason to cloak herself anymore after yesterday's events.

She nudged her trainer gently, effectively bringing him out of his thoughts.

''Mel mel?''

''I'm fine, Meloetta. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you guys with me.''

She blushed, a shy but happy smile coming over her face, before she softly kissed the raven haired trainer on his lips out of appreciation.

When she broke it, Ash was getting flustered as well, much to the amusement of Pikachu.

''One happy family, aren't we? When can we expect eggs?'' he teased, resulting in a cute pout from the powerful legendary. She puffed up her cheeks in the cutest way, something which Ash thought was absolutely adorable.

''When you find yourself a girlfriend,'' she countered smoothly, immediately shutting the electric rodent up.

''That was a low blow,'' he muttered, a small smirk forming on his lips nonetheless.

She playfully blew him a raspberry, while Eevee in the meantime, simply had no idea what they were talking about. She was too focused on the building in front of her anyway. With a mighty leap, she jumped from Ash's shoulder and ran to the front door, her cheerful cries filling the air.

''Uncle, aunty, daddy, let's go inside! Hurry,'' she almost pleaded. The young energetic pokemon couldn't wait any longer. She was enthusiastically jumping up and down while impatiently waiting for her family to join her.

Ash laughed at her antics. ''Okay, I get it, Eevee. We'll go inside right now.''

* * *

Soon, Ash and his pokemon were sitting with the mayor, who had greeted them jovially. He was very pleased with Ash's heroic performance in the swimming pool yesterday, and wanted to reward him and his pokemon royally.

''If you could please be patient for another few minutes, Ash. The gym leader of Cerulean city will join us soon.''

''Oh? I was about to challenge the gym leader today anyway. That's very convenient.''

The mayor nodded. ''Then it most certainly is. Ah, here she comes right now.''

Ash watched with growing curiosity to the door that was opened. He expected a tough looking woman to enter the room, but to his utter stupor, instead, a very familiar face greeted his sight.

''Misty?''

The petite redhead smiled. ''Hi, Ash. It's great to see you again.''

''Wait, you are the gym leader?'' he asked, dumbfounded.

''Yes, I am.'' She giggled. ''Are you surprised?''

''Pretty much. So that's what you meant with that you would fine me in Cerulean city no matter what.''

She nodded her head sweetly. ''I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I wanted to surprise you.''

''It's okay, Misty,'' Ash stated cheerfully. ''I'll get you back in a battle, though.''

''It's a deal. I'll be available right after we're done here,'' she replied.

The mayor watched the two with amusement on his face. ''It seems you two were already acquainted.''

''Yes, we were,'' Misty said. ''Sorry for being so late. I had to resolve an issue with my sisters.''

''It's quite all right, Ms. Waterflower. Now that we're all here, I think it's time to pay tribute to this fine young man,'' the mayor exclaimed, turning his attention to Ash.

''Ash Ketchum, you and your pokemon have performed an act of courage and righteousness, saving a lot of pokemon from team Rocket in the process. On behalf of everybody in Cerulean city, I'd like to thank you profusely. Please, accept this medal and these ribbons as your reward.''

Misty walked forward, holding a cushion with a medal and three ribbons on it. The mayor first grabbed the ribbons, and put them on Eevee, Pikachu and Meloetta in that order. The three pokemon were beaming, proud of their feat. Lastly, the mayor put the medal on Ash, and shook his hand.

''Congratulations, son. You're a true hero. You're going to be a very strong trainer in no time,'' the mayor praised.

Ash blushed shyly, unable to come up with a reply. His pokemon however, let themselves be heard, though. Each giving a loud cry of their name in response.

''Then finally,'' the mayor went on, ''this is a gift from all the people who were so grateful that you saved their pokemon. Please take good care of it.''

A gasp escaped from Ash's throat when the mayor handed him a small incubator with a pokemon egg inside. ''This is for me?'' he muttered, unable to believe it.

''It is, son. I heard the pokemon inside will hatch into a water type. You just have to wait and see which one.''

Ash nodded joyfully, and showed the egg to his pokemon. ''Look, guys. This is our new team member,'' he whispered.

Eevee was ecstatic. ''Am I getting a sibling?''

''Yes, honey,'' Meloetta cooed. ''So when it hatches, we have to take good care of your sibling.''

''Oh, I am so happy,'' Eevee gushed while pressing her muzzle tightly against the incubator to look with awe at the unmoving egg.

''Easy there, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu commented playfully. ''You're almost falling out of your chair.''

''Oops. Sorry, Uncle Pika,'' she apologised. She reluctantly sat down and tried to keep herself in place, but failed horribly.

''Ash,'' Misty spoke up once the raven haired trainer had put away his egg. ''If you're ready, then let's have our battle right now.''

* * *

The second gym was as Ash expected, a swimming pool. The field in front of him was mostly water, while here and there a couple of flat structures rose out of it so that pokemon could stand.

'This would've been ideal for Meloetta, since she can float,' Ash thought, but quickly shook his head. 'No. I want to use Eevee, and Pikachu has a major advantage here as well.'

''Melo!'' the small legendary next to Ash chirped, giving him a quick nuzzle to wish him good luck. This was the first time she wouldn't be used in a battle, and she was curious how Ash would fare.

Ash smiled at his partner, gave her a peck on the nose which made her blush, and got into a battling stance while facing Misty.

''All right, I am ready, Misty. Let's have an amazing battle!'' Ash stated, his fist pumped up high in enthusiasm. The young trainer was more than ready for a great match.

''You too, Ash. Give me everything that you've got,'' she responded in kind.

Seeing that both parties were ready, the referee raised his flags. ''This will be an official two versus two league battle for the cascade badge; the gym leader Misty Waterflower, against the challenger Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Substitutions are allowed only from the challenger's side. The match is over when both pokemon from a side are unable to battle. Begin!''

Misty smiled, and threw her first pokemon on the field. ''Go, Goldeen.''

The water type, which resembled a goldfish, materialized inside the pool. She gave a low cry of her name, and waited patiently for her opponent.

Said opponent—being Eevee—had a determined expression on her face. Ash could feel all of her muscles tense on his shoulder where she was sitting, and her tail was raised high in the air. He knew she was nervous, this being her first official battle after all, so he gave her an affectionate nuzzle.

''It's going to be fine, okay? Whether you win or lose, it doesn't matter. Go out there, and give it your all,'' he reassured the young fox pokemon.

''Your pops is right, Pipsqueak,'' Pikachu added warmly. ''Remember, this will be your uncle's first official battle as well. So we're going to do this together.''

This made Eevee relax tremendously. Ash's soothing words, and his smooth skin against her own furry cheek felt comforting. Coupled with Pikachu's gentle words of encouragement, she was now all too eager to show off her full power.

''Okay uncle, daddy!'' She yipped back happily. Though Ash didn't understand her, he got what she tried to say. He could feel her muscles relaxing, and her tail lowering. This was her moment to shine.

Meloetta watched the spectacle with a fuzzy feeling inside. Love and adoration for her trainer, a growing appreciation and friendship for Pikachu for showing his mature side, and a special kind of feeling for the young and adorable Eevee, who still had so much to learn.

It then began to dawn on Meloetta, that this was her family. A weird sense of realization hit her, making her gasp as tears threatened to dampen her eyes. Meloetta never had a real family before, but now, so suddenly, she realized that these three were something very precious to her. She cherished those thoughts deeply, and it made her heart flutter with excitement.

At that moment, she knew, that her decision to help Ash wasn't a spur of the moment thing. Her heart had yearned for this, and honestly, she couldn't think of another moment when she had felt so happy as she did right now.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? A review does wonders for my motivation :D Next chapter will be very battle orientated, so look forward to that. Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	9. Eevee and Pikachu

**I hope you're all excited about the battle against Misty, people. Here it is, enjoy :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ash would've won all of his Kanto badges fairly.**

''Meloetta'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

Seeing that Eevee's nervousness had been replaced with excitement, the raven haired trainer gave her one last reassuring rub, before sending her out as the opponent of Misty's Goldeen.

''Eevee, I choose you!'' Ash joyfully commanded to his fox pokemon.

The normal type leaped from his shoulder with a happy yip of her name. She got in front of Ash, and lowered her body low to the ground in a pounding stance, as if she was hunting a prey for food. Her gaze became intimidating, and all of her senses were solely focused on the water type in front of her.

''Good luck, pipsqueak!'' Pikachu called out to her.

If she heard him, she didn't show any signs of it. Eevee was going to give it her all for her daddy, which meant she didn't let herself get distracted.

Meloetta smiled. The young fox pokemon reminded her of herself when she was younger; carefree and happy, but serious and competitive when she needed to be. It was actually kind of adorable.

Meanwhile, Misty was more than relieved Ash didn't decide to use Meloetta. She was sure the battle would be over before it even started if that were the case. Now, she actually stood somewhat of a chance.

''It's very smart of you to use your other pokemon in battle as well, Ash,'' Misty praised kindly. ''Relying on one pokemon all the time could be devastating once it actually gets defeated.''

Ash nodded. ''I know. That's why I have prepared Eevee well for this battle. She isn't going down easily.''

''I'm sure she will be a good opponent for Goldeen. Now then, the first move is all yours, Ash,'' she responded sweetly.

Getting pumped up himself, Ash gave his first order to his normal type.

''Eevee, use Quick attack!''

Before he even had finished his command, she shot forwards with incredible speed, zigzagging from platform to platform and seemingly crossing over the water without any trouble whatsoever. The water parted wherever she moved from her powerful bursts; it didn't even slow her down at all.

Misty and Goldeen both gasped. There was no time to counter; Goldeen could barely comprehend what was happening before Eevee slammed headfirst into her body. The sudden momentum shift caused Goldeen to fly back through the water with a loud cry of pain, before she smashed forcefully against one of the stone sides of the swimming pool.

''Goldeen!'' Misty cried in alarm.

''Wow,'' Pikachu muttered under his breath, impressed by Eevee's strength. ''The kid is strong.''

Meloetta had somewhat expected it. She felt how lax Goldeen was swimming when Ash chose Eevee; the water pokemon had severely underestimated her speed and power.

''Yeah, great job, Eevee!'' Ash praised her as she came to a stop on one of the platforms.

She couldn't help but give him an appreciative yip of her name, even though she was trying to focus one-hundred percent on her opponent. ''Thank you, daddy!'' she replied joyfully.

Lukily for Misty, Goldeen wasn't knocked out yet. It seemed Eevee's attack was a big wake-up slap for her, though. Goldeen was glaring menacingly at her opponent; she had certainly not expected such a devastating attack. It had hurt her a lot, and Goldeen knew she couldn't take another one of those.

''Great, Goldeen, I knew you could endure it! Now answer with your Water gun.''

The goldfish pokemon nodded, opened her mouth and shot a potent stream of water at Eevee.

''Counter with another Quick attack,''Ash retaliated.

Once more, Eevee shot forwards with amazing speed, actually tearing through Goldeen's attack with little effort, but this time, Misty was ready.

''Dive underwater to dodge, Goldeen.''

Misty looked on with satisfaction when the bullet known as Eevee shot harmlessly over the water, thinking she had successfully evaded her onslaught, but to her uttor stupor, she didn't stop her attack.

Eevee growled when Goldeen dove away. She wasn't going to let her escape, so without stopping, she used the edge of the pool to jump up high in the air, actually reaching the ceiling of the gym.

Misty, Ash, Pikachu and even Meloetta watched slackjawed as the fox pokemon—with a might cry of her name—used the ceiling to propel herself back downwards like a rocket, going straight for Goldeen who hadn't even the slightest bit of sense of the incoming disaster.

''Goldeen! Above you, swim away!'' Misty warned in full panic mode.

However, her water pokemon couldn't even react. Eevee was simply too fast. Like a Draco meteor, she split the water in two, her aim deadly accurate as she rammed Goldeen down with so much force, the ground actually shook and waves were created in every direction, draining the pool of a quarter of its water.

Casually, Eevee swam back to her stunned trainer when the job was done, and not much later, a fainted Goldeen was floating on the surface of the pool.

''Goldeen is unable to battle, Eevee wins!''

Ash exploded into happiness when he realized what his pokemon just had done. ''Eevee, that was so amazing!'' he gushed while hugging her tenderly, not even caring that his clothes got wet.

She hugged him back with much enthusiasm, giving cute cries of her name as she did so.

''Did I do good, daddy?''

Pikachu snorted. ''Are you kidding me, pipsqueak? You looked like a legendary going on a rampage! Man, that was so epic!'' he exclaimed, unable to keep his own excitement in check.

Meloetta stifled a giggle. ''You did such an awesome job, honey, that even I'm impressed with how powerful you already are.''

''Thank you Uncle Pika and Aunt Melly,'' she responded cheerfully.

''Just imagine what you could do when you evolve into a Sylveon,'' Pikachu added, and gave her a wink.

''Then I'll be the strongest Sylveon in the world for daddy,'' she replied immediately, and continued to nuzzle her cheek against Ash.

The raven haired trainer giggled. ''I'm so proud of you, Eevee. Why don't you take a nice rest? Pikachu will finish it from here.'' He returned his happy fox pokemon, and faced Meloetta with a grin. ''Did you secretely train her or something?'' he joked.

''Melo.'' She shook her head and pointed at Ash with a warm smile before kissing him on his nose.

''So, it's all my doing, huh?''

She nodded her head vigorously.

''I guess I'm underestimating my own capabilities as a trainer then.''

Meloetta giggled melodically, hugged his face delicately, and then turned his attention back to Misty.

''Right, I still have a badge to win. This probably shouldn't take too long,'' Ash admitted as he motioned to Pikachu.

''Are you ready, buddy?''

''Pika!''

''Then we'll show Misty just how powerful you are as well.''

Meanwhile, Misty was imitating her Goldeen. She hadn't expected such an overwhelming answer from Eevee to her tactic to use the field as her advantage. She barely even scratched the normal type, and she knew Ash's next pokemon was going to be an even bigger problem. Recollecting her thoughts, she recalled her fainted water pokemon.

''Great job, Goldeen, return,'' she whispered.

For a moment, she had her eyes closed in contemplation, before a determined look overtook her features.

''Don't think you've won just yet, Ash. Let's see how you will handle this. Go, Starmie!'' she cried out loudly.

In front of her, the water and psychic type appeared. It looked around from side to side, but otherwise stayed idle in the pool.

''Okay then, Pikachu, I choose you,'' Ash replied in turn.

The electric rodent jumped from Ash's shoulder and got on all fours, his cheeks sparking dangerously with electricity. He was ready. Just like Eevee, he wasn't going down without a fight.

''Pikachu versus Starmie, begin!''

Misty wasted no time. ''Starmie, use Confusion.''

The star pokemon complied. It created a psychic field around Pikachu that attacked both his body and mind, effectively dizzying him.

Pikachu grunted. The attack was pretty painful, but with a smirk, he realized it got nothing on Meloetta's Psychic.

''Don't give up, Pikachu. Use Thundershock!''

Misty smiled. ''Ash, Pikachu is confused. Do you honestly think he'll be able to hit Starmie?''

''No, but he doesn't have to.''

The red haired girl gave a gasp when she realized Ash's plan. It was so obvious, yet there was nothing she could do about it.

Pikachu fired, and like expected, he missed Starmie by a long shot, but what he did hit was the pool, and unfortunately for Starmie, water had the tendency to conduct.

In less than a second, the whole pool was charged with electricity, and in turn Starmie too, who could only take the super effective attack with full force.

''No, Starmie!'' Misty cried. The damage was already done, though. Even though Starmie wasn't quite knocked out yet, Ash simply ordered Pikachu to use Thundershock again, which was more than enough to make Misty's last pokemon faint as well.

''Starmie is unable to battle, Pikachu wins! This means that the winner of this battle is Ash Ketchum from Pallet town. Congratulations!''

Ash was ecstatic. ''Yeah! Nice work, Pikachu.''

Just like with Eevee, he gave his starter pokemon a big hug, which the electric type greatly appreciated.

Misty recalled her pokemon, gave a big sigh out of disappointment because of her utter loss, before approaching Ash respectfully with her head held high.

''Ash, you have deserved this badge fair and square. Please accept it as a sign that you won from me here today.''

The young trainer nodded, took the Cascade badge and did a silly pose with his Pikachu.

''All right! I got the Cascade badge,'' he shouted joyfully to no one in particular.

''Pika pika!''

Misty and Meloetta both giggled. ''Anyway, Ash. The next gym is located in Vermillion city. The leader there is specialized in electric types. You might consider catching a ground type to make it easier for you,'' the red haired girl suggested sweetly.

''Thanks, Misty. I'll keep it in mind if things go rough.''

''Though I don't think that will be the case with her around,'' Misty stated while pointing at Meloetta.

The small legendary hummed in a happy tune and nodded her head in agreement.

''I don't think so either. But I don't plan on using Meloetta; only if it is necessary.''

''I understand,'' Misty replied. ''Anyway, I wish you good luck on your journey, Ash.''

''Thank you. See you later, Misty!''

As Ash waved goodbye, the faintest of blushes appeared on Misty's cheek. 'He's cute,' she thought.

* * *

The afternoon went by quickly. Ash and his pokemon decided to have dinner in the pokemon center, and make way to Vermillion city afterwards.

''You did great today, Pikachu and Eevee.''

Both pokemon gave a happy cry. Their first official battle went without a hitch, and they couldn't wait until their second gym leader battle arrived.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are always appreciated :D Until next time.**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	10. On the road

**Apologies if the quality of this chapter is a bit lower than usual, guys. I'm going through a severe case of writers block, so I wrote this with a lot of struggles. Also, I've got a quick announcement at the end of this chapter. Be sure to read it if you're planning to review.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, filler episodes wouldn't exist!**

 **Enjoy ^^**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

On Route 5 to Vermillion city, Ash and his pokemon were having a small break. After winning his second badge and having a satisfying dinner, the raven haired trainer decided to head out the same evening, in the hopes of arriving at his destination the next day.

''Man, I sure am lucky I've got you with me, Meloetta,'' Ash stated jovially, ''otherwise I would've got lost for the umpteenth time.''

''Mel mel,'' the petite legendary replied sweetly, an adorable blush on her cheeks.

The group was currently resting on one of the convenient benches placed alongside the dirt road in the forest. Meloetta was floating close to Ash's right, while Pikachu was on his left shoulder. Eevee was simply too tired after that battle against Misty, and promptly fell asleep back at the Cerulean pokemon center, so Ash had returned her to her pokeball for now.

''I wonder if we can stay the night in Saffron, otherwise we have to set up the tent my mom gave to me and sleep out in the open.''

Meloetta idly listened to her trainer musings, having taken a seat on his lap in the meantime while drinking some apple juice. She didn't really mind sleeping in a tent; it only meant she could snuggle very closely against Ash in his sleeping bag. Those thoughts alone made her giggle mellifluously.

Pikachu groaned. ''I hope it is the former. It'll be just our luck if we get attacked by a feral pokemon in the middle of the night, mark my words.''

Ash understood the concern of his electric starter pokemon. Camping out in the wild did bring along certain risks. But then again, they did have a legendary pokemon at their side as well. The young trainer was sure Meloetta could defeat any pokemon in this area with ease.

''It'll be fine, Pikachu. I'll make sure we'll have a roof over our heads in a couple hours. Besides, if worst comes to worst, we have Meloetta. She's the strongest pokemon on this route by far,'' Ash responded confidently.

''I wouldn't count your luck, kid,'' an older voice spoke up. It was a pokemon trainer with a somber look on his face. ''There's this self-proclaimed gym leader called AJ a couple of miles down this road. He has a gym and everything. I was sure he was boasting when he told me he hadn't lost for ninety-seven times in a row, but he beat me with ease.''

Ash looked at the older trainer, before looking back at Meloetta with a pumped-up smile.

''Hey, maybe this AJ guy can finally give you a real match. What do you say, shall we take him on, Meloetta?''

She gave a happy cry in response, and hugged Ash's torso before nodding.

''All right! Time to end his streak then,'' Ash proclaimed cheerfully.

The older trainer shook his head. ''Look, I don't want to be a party pooper here, but you're probably not going to win from him, kid.''

Ash gave him a smile while holding Meloetta in his arms. ''Don't worry, this girl here is pretty strong. She may look very adorable, but she also packs a punch,'' he reassured.

''Melo!'' she chirped in affirmation.

The older trainer shrugged his shoulders. ''Suit yourself. Unless you're that one kid who stopped Team Rocket in Viridian city,'' he joked. ''Rumors has it that he has a legendary.''

''I heard he stopped Team Rocket in Cerulean as well,'' Ash added with a smirk.

''Wow, seriously? The rumors must be true then! Anyway, I wish you the best of luck against AJ, you'll need it.''

With that, the older trainer bid his farewell, while Meloetta couldn't help but laugh.

''Melo mel,'' she accused Ash playfully.

''What? I didn't lie! I can't help he doesn't recognise a cute legendary when one is in front of him.''

She turned the faintest shade of red, before sensually capturing Ash's lips in a lovely kiss.

''Bleh, can you two Pidoves cut the lovey dovey stuff already, please?'' Pikachu asked.

The psychic legendary only gave him a mischievous smile in return, before deliberately pressing her lips against Ash's again, deepening it just a tad to tease Pikachu further.

''Right. I should've seen that one coming,'' he muttered. ''I'll make a note to do this in your face as well when I have a girlfriend.''

Ash could only chuckle at the antics of his pokemon, all the while enjoying the sweet embrace of Meloetta's sugary lips.

* * *

''So this is AJ's gym, huh?'' Ash stated out loud. In front of him was an official pokemon battlefield, while behind that, a big white tent was standing high and mighty. Between the tent and the battlefield was an electronic display with AJ's name on it, showing that he indeed, was undefeated for ninety-eight times in a row right now.

''That's right, challenger! Are you here for a battle?'' The person—who Ash suspected to be AJ—spoke imposingly.

He somewhat resembled Ash, the obvious difference being his spiky hair with green highlights at the front. He also was a good bit taller than Ash, wore a simple black and red T-shirt, and was carrying a whip.

''You bet I am. My name's Ash Ketchum, and I aim to be a pokemon master!'' the raven haired trainer introduced himself.

''Well, it seems our interests align then. I can respect that, but do you have what it takes to take me on?'' AJ questioned while cracking his whip to be more intimidating.

''I have two badges already. More importantly, my partner hasn't had a good battle in forever. She's quite excited and expects a lot from you, you know?''

''Well, does going undefeated for ninety-eight times impress her by any chance?''

''Only when you show that feat in battle,'' Ash countered smoothly.

''It's decided then!'' AJ declared. ''Ash Ketchum, I accept your challenge. You and your Pikachu are going down!''

Pikachu sweatdropped. ''Seriously? He doesn't really think I'm a female right? Clearly he has seen my tail,'' he spoke to Meloetta, who was currently invisible.

''I don't know, you do look pretty feminine,'' she teased, ''also, the affection you show to Ash sometimes makes me wonder if you're not trying to steal him from me.''

''What?'' Pikachu responded flabbergasted, making Meloetta burst out in giggles.

''Okay, first off, Ash is my trainer, all right?'' he tried to defend himself without getting too embarrassed, ''I love him, but not in a romantic way like you do, and sometimes... I'm just happy how well he treats me, so I rub my cheek against his out of appreciation, that's all,'' he admitted with a blush.

''Aw, that's so adorable,'' she cooed, pinching Pikachu's cheek, who in turn only got more embarrassed. ''You're getting all red in the face. Maybe you're secretely a girl after all.''

''Knock that off before I use Thundershock on you,'' he threatened playfully. ''Don't you have a battle you need to prepare for?''

She blew him a raspberry, before turning her focus on Ash and AJ, who both had taken their spots on the battlefield.

''Hey AJ, what do I get if I win?'' Ash asked.

''Well, since I'm an unofficial gym leader, I can't give you a badge, if that is what you mean.''

Ash smiled. ''That's okay. What if you offer me and my pokemon a place to stay for the night if I win?''

''That's a deal! I have plenty of room in my gym. Now, if you're ready, then let's begin!''

AJ threw a pokeball high in the air, and out came a small mouse-like pokemon. His hide looked tough, and resembled a brick pattern, but his belly and muzzle were white. Two calm looking almond-shaped eyes scanned the battlefield for his opponent.

''Meet my trusty Sandshrew. He's the toughest opponent you'll face all day,'' AJ proclaimed proudly.

''Okay then. Meloetta, I choose you!'' Ash stated cheerfully.

In a shower of sparkles, the psychic and normal type appeared in front of Ash, ready for battle.

''Huh, a Meloetta? What kind of pokemon is that? I expected you would battle with your Pikachu.''

''Pikachu is still tired after battling with Misty this afternoon. My partner, Meloetta, hasn't battled yet, so she's very eager.''

''Melo!''

AJ began to laugh. ''Do you only own cute pokemon? I bet your third pokemon is an Eevee or something. But it doesn't matter, if you think you can win from my Sandshrew with this so called Meloetta, you'll have another thing com—''

''Use Hyper voice.''

Immediately, Meloetta let out a high pitched shriek with so much force, that the earth shook. When it reached Sandshrew, he was unable to dodge and took the hit full on. His pitiful special defenses were no match for the raw special power of Meloetta; instantly knocking him out cold.

''What?'' AJ gasped loudly. He dropped his whip out of pure shock. His pokemon was defeated before he could utter a single attack.

''Huh, I expected more from this Sandshrew,'' Meloetta stated disappointingly.

Nonetheless, Ash was happy with winning, and hugged her in celebration.

''You were great, Meloetta!''

''Mel!''

''How strong are you exactly?'' Ash whispered afterwards. He was genuinely shocked she took out a pokemon—who hadn't lost a single match for almost a hundred times in a row—with a single attack.

She giggled and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

''Melo mel,'' she promised.

''Well, if you're going to show tomorrow, I suppose I can wait until then.''

''How is this possible?'' AJ proclaimed. ''There's no way a random pokemon can take out my Sandshrew in a single hit! Unless—''

His eyes widened in realization. ''No way! You're that kid with the legendary! Which means Meloetta is a legendary pokemon!''

''Yeah, you're right. Sorry for not telling you earlier,'' Ash apologised.

''Are you kidding? This is incredible! I battled a legendary pokemon. Granted, I got defeated with no trouble, but it was awesome nonetheless!''

AJ patted Ash on the back. ''Besides, if it takes a legendary to stop my streak, it only means I'm a very powerful trainer already,'' he spoke optimistically. ''Come, I promised you a place to stay. You beat me fair and square, but in return, you have to tell me all about your adventures with Meloetta.''

''Sure, I'm happy to tell you all about it.''

And so, Ash ended AJ's streak, and got a place to stay, and in return, made a new friend, who he inspired to train even harder than before.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! So next chapter will be Meloetta showing her full power, against none other than the giant Dragonite that appeared at Bill's lighthouse. My question is: do you want to see Ash catching that Dragonite, or will a battle suffice? Leave your answer in a review! Reviews make my day great again ;) Until next time!**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	11. Lighthouse trouble

**The chapter you've all been waiting for! Here it is, enjoy ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, chances are this chapter would be canon in the anime.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

Night had begun to fall in the Kanto region. After bidding AJ farewell, Ash had continued his travels to Vermillion city the next morning. Unfortunately, even with Meloetta's great navigation skills, Ash found himself unable to reach Vermillion in time.

''I guess we really have to use my tent this time around,'' Ash told his pokemon.

Pikachu sighed; he didn't look forward to it, while Eevee was reacting the exact opposite. She was ecstatic at the prospect. The young pokemon was full with energy, and couldn't help but hop up and down excitedly.

''Yay, we are going camping. It's going to be so much fun!'' she squealed.

''I'm looking forward to it as well, sweetie,'' Meloetta cooed, ''Although I think uncle Pika has another opinion on the matter.'' She giggled at the sour look Pikachu sported.

''It's not that I _hate_ it, it's just that I rather like to have a solid roof over my head,'' Pikachu replied. ''So if we have no other option, I'll be okay with it. Don't worry about me.''

''Why don't you like to go camping, uncle Pika?'' the young Eevee inquired curiously.

''Well, pipsqueak. To be honest, your uncle is a bit scared. Wild pokemon could attack us at any moment when we're asleep.''

Meloetta began to understand the electric rodent. Being a small mouse pokemon meant a lot of predators. Pikachu probably had to deal with them often when professor Oak hadn't caught him yet.

''Why are you scared? Auntie Melly and daddy will protect you,'' she answered immediately.

Pikachu chuckled. ''I guess you're right. You're a brave pokemon, Eevee.''

''I think you're brave too, uncle!''

Pikachu gave her a playful rub. ''Thanks, squirt. I think with you at my side, I don't have to be scared anymore.''

After a while, the clearing of the woods gave away for the coastline. Just when Ash had found a good place to set up camp, Meloetta gave a soft cry of her name.

''What's the matter, Meloetta?''

''Melo!'' She pointed in the distance. Now Pikachu began to see it too, and made happy gestures with his arms.

''Pika pika!''

''What do you guys see?'' Ash asked. His sight was limited a lot thanks to a potent fog covering the coast. When he squinted his eyes, he finally saw what his pokemon were looking at.

''A lighthouse! With some luck, we can stay the night there.''

Eevee was slightly deflated with the news, but Ash promised her they were going to camp very often in the future, which got the fox pokemon in high spirits immediately afterwards.

''Really, daddy?''

Ash nodded his head. ''Definitely. I didn't get this tent for nothing. It'll be an adventure in itself, right, Meloetta and Pikachu?''

Pikachu and Meloetta both nodded, which got a very happy yip out of Eevee.

''Okay!''

''For now, let's check out that lighthouse.''

* * *

Ash and his pokemon had quickly reached their destination. When they saw the closed door—depicting a lot of legendary pokemon on it—the raven haired trainer got a peculiar feeling.

''This is odd,'' he muttered, gently wiping his hand over the rough, stone door. ''Who are all these pokemon?''

He looked at Meloetta for answers, who recognized the legendaries all too well. She understood what the door was for, and with a smile, pointed at the highest row of pokemon depicted.

''Hey, that's you!'' Ash stated, seeing Meloetta's picture. ''What does that mean?''

The petite legendary floated in front of Ash, gave him a sweet kiss, before explaining.

''Melo, meloetta mel!''

''Wait, so you're saying the legendaries on this door can summon a special pokemon here?''

She nodded her head in confirmation.

''Meloetta?''

''Huh? You want to summon him? But what's the point?''

She smirked, cracked her neck and got in a battling stance. Ash's eyes widened for a moment.

''You want to _battle_ him? Meloetta, I understand you promised me you would show your true power, but against this special pokemon? Do you even know what kind of pokemon he is, and how strong he is?''

She shrugged her shoulders, but otherwise looked content and ready to finally get a real battle going.

''I don't know. What if he defeats you?''

Meloetta, however, couldn't be persuaded anymore. She gave him her best puppy eyes, and quivered her lower lip, exactly how she had done with Arceus. Needless to say, it didn't take long before she coaxed the answer out of her love interest that she wanted to hear.

''Well, all right. Let's battle this special pokemon then!''

She cooed happily, gave Ash another sweet kiss out of appreciation, before floating up to her picture. She touched it, and began to activate her psychic powers. The stone reacted and began to glow with her. Not much later, a loud rumble shook the earth, and suddenly, a horn flared within the lighthouse, while simultaneously the lamps turned on by themselves as well.

The rumbling stopped when Meloetta floated back to Ash, Pikachu and Eevee. The lights provided some vision over the calm waters; the eerie flare of the horn the only thing that was heard as the special pokemon was summoned.

Suddenly, the ground began to rumble again. This time, it was clearly coming from the sea. Another rumble, more strongly this time, and another. Whatever was coming was _massive_ , and Ash and his pokemon began to realize this with a sinking feeling in their guts.

Then, two big, intimidating yellow eyes stared back in the fog, easily at the same height of the lighthouse. With another ground-rumbling step, the silhouette of a giant Dragonite was starting to get visible.

''Pikachu, Eevee, get back,'' Ash whispered to his other two pokemon. It was a miracle Ash found the courage to stay where he was standing. Meloetta too, was taken aback by the massive size of the dragon type, but didn't back down. She was the one who summoned him, and now, she was the one who was going to battle him.

''Let's go, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu said to Eevee, dragging her away to safety. ''Meloetta, keep Ash safe. Flee with him if you need to. You don't have to prove anything,'' Pikachu advised sagely.

''I know. I'll make sure he can't get close to Ash.''

Meloetta gave a nod to her trainer, indicating she was ready to battle him before the Dragonite could come any closer and became a massive threat to Ash and the lighthouse.

''All right, Meloetta, use Hyper voice, full power!'' Ash called out loudly.

The legendary floated to her opponent quickly and opened her mouth to attack.

For the Dragonite, she was the size of a Durant, so he didn't pay her any attention. That was, until a very loud screech pierced the night; it even overshadowed the flare of the horn in the Lighthouse. Ash could see the soundwaves of Meloetta's powerful special move reach Dragonite, and they actually exploded on his body, effectively halting his approach.

He let out a roar; one that showed he was pissed off. The earth shook, and both Meloetta and Ash had to cover their ears.

''Who summoned and just challenged me to a battle?'' he exclaimed in his deep and rumbling voice.

''I did, Dragonite!'' Meloetta replied. ''I'm here to battle and defeat you!''

''A legendary? It's been quite some time that I've seen one of you. The last legendary that battled me met his fate sooner than he would've liked. Do you still want to battle me, small one?''

Meloetta didn't waver. She saw her attack had hurt the Dragonite. With Ash on her side, she would win, she was sure of it. ''Yes, my trainer and I will take you down.''

''Excellent, then prepare for a real battle.''

* * *

Two hours had passed since the battle began. Meloetta was getting tired. She constantly had to dodge Dragonite's massive attacks. She was lucky she was so small and could turn invisible as well, otherwise Dragonite would've hit her with one of his Dragon claws long ago.

She had however, done massive damage to him. The giant pokemon was pretty slow thanks to his big body, so hitting him was easy, but in the air, when he spread his wings, that was a different story.

He'd completely taken Meloetta off guard when he began to use Extreme speed, hitting her so hard, she flew back against the lighthouse and went clean through it.

''Meloetta!'' Ash screamed.

For an agonizing second, nothing happened, until Meloetta was back in the battle, her face turned into an angry snarl and her whole body extremely bruised thanks to the impact.

'We're so close to victory, but Dragonite's Extreme speed beats Meloetta. She can't take another one,' Ash thought in panic. 'It's time to switch strategy then.'

''I'm impressed. Few could take my Extreme speed head on and still battle. You have gained my respect, which is why I'll give you a chance to forfeit right now. I'll walk away and let you go back to your trainer relatively unharmed.''

Meloetta actually began to giggle at the deal the Dragonite tried to make. ''You're on your last breath as well. Haven't you seen how Ash and I constantly outsmarted you? This is the first time you managed to hit me fully in two hours. I'm sure my trainer has already found a way to deal with it. The fact is, you're weak and afraid to lose,'' she taunted with confidence.

Dragonite growled. ''You've just doomed yourself and your trainer, foolish legendary.''

Meloetta's stalling gave Ash enough time to order his next move. ''Use Relic song, Meloetta, and dance!''

She smiled, and performed her beautiful melody, the notes she produced highly explosive in nature.

Dragonite roared and used Extreme speed again, only for him to meet Meloetta's attack head on. It didn't stop him, but certainly slowed him down. It was enough for Meloetta to dodge the Dragonite in her newly transformed pirouette form, giving her a massive boost in speed and attack.

''Impossible!'' he snarled, unable to believe she dodged his Extreme speed.

''Now, use Close combat on Dragonite's eyes!'' Ash called victoriously.

Meloetta complied, and with a swiftness that surprised the dragon type, she began to deal a flurry of kicks and punches to Dragonite's eyes, blinding him and making him roar in pain.

His sight was gone, and in the state that he was in, he began to panic. His smell wasn't of any help, because Meloetta's scent was everywhere in the air, so only his hearing remained.

It was exactly what Ash was going to exploit. Seeing that Meloetta transformed back to her Aria form, he gave her a silent nod.

She understood, and before the Dragonite could react, used another Hyper voice, straight at the opening of his ear canal.

The damage was enough to disorient the giant pokemon, who—lost in pain that he was—crassed violently into the water below, unable to keep on battling.

For a tense moment, Ash was completely stunned, before he began to cheer loudly in the cool night sky.

''You did it! You actually did it!'' Ash stated with disbelief and sheer happiness.

Meloetta too, was extremely happy with her win. She flew like a shooting star in Ash's arms, and began to kiss him passionately, enjoying her trainer's embrace and soft lips on hers.

''You are the cutest and strongest pokemon ever,'' he praised, and again, she pressed her lips against Ash's, holding him close and never wanting to let him go.

After a while, she moved her dainty hands on his chest to look back at the water, where the defeated Dragonite still lied, unmoving.

An incredible devious idea formed in her head. Smirking, she grabbed one of Ash's spare pokeballs and went back to Dragonite. There, she floated dominantly over the giant, and gave a smug smile.

''Be defeated, face the consequences. From now on, you'll be Ash's pokemon,'' she declared with extreme satisfaction, before tossing the pokeball on his body.

Ash watched slack jawed how his legendary caught the massive Dragonite with a simple pokeball, before floating back and handing him his newly caught dragon pokemon.

''Wow,'' Ash muttered.

Meloetta giggled melodically at his reply, and continued where she had left off. Namely, kissing Ash with much vigor.

At the same time, in the lighthouse, Bill had watched with complete paralysis how a kid with a legendary summoned the large Dragonite, defeated it, caught it, and then proceeded to make out with said legendary in celebration.

''… I should stop experimenting so much with rare candies.''

* * *

 **So there you have it! Ash caught a massive Dragonite XD Just to be clear, Ash will only use him when he deems it necessary. It's the same with Meloetta, really ;) So did you guys like it, love it, hate it? I certainly had fun writing this! Next chapter Pikachu vs Raichu. Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	12. A shocking battle

**Ash's third gym leader battle! Enjoy ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ash would've caught stronger pokemon on his journey.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

''We made it, guys! We're in Vermillion city!'' Ash cheered happily.

''Mel!''

''Pika!''

''Eevee!''

After a hectic night where Meloetta battled against a giant Dragonite and actually defeated it—showing her trainer just how strong she truly was—Ash and his pokemon had finally arrived at their destination.

''What do guys say we have a nice meal in the pokemon center first? That way, we can heal Dragonite up too, and then head straight for the gym.''

His pokemon agreed wholeheartedly. Ash—on Meloetta's advice—did stock up on food pretty royally when they left Cerulean, but it was nice to finally have some freshly made dinner after a week's worth of travel.

When the group was enjoying their food, chatting excitedly with each other, a young boy with a defeated Rattata stormed inside the pokemon center. A Chansey was running alongside him, while the boy spoke to his pokemon reassuringly.

''You're going to be okay, Rattata, hang in there!''

Ash watched the scene silently, contemplating what could've happened to the normal type to be in such bad shape.

''Surprised?'' A random trainer—who was sitting across Ash—spoke up calmly. ''It's our gym leader. He's a very strong trainer who uses the electric type. If you're planning on challenging him, I hope you have your pokemon prepared for the same outcome, because they most likely will end up the same way.''

Pikachu, Eevee and Meloetta all looked at him like he grew an extra head.

''Is this guy for real?'' Pikachu asked.

Meloetta shook her head. ''I don't think he knows that Ash won't have the least bit of trouble if he decides to use Dragonite or me.''

''Dragonite is scary,'' Eevee whispered.

''For that matter, will Dragonite even listen to Ash?'' Pikachu wondered.

''You guys don't have to worry,'' Meloetta reassured sweetly. ''Special pokemon have a very strong sense of respect, even if they're a bit cocky sometimes. Since Ash caught him fairly, he will obey without a second thought.''

''But wasn't it you who caught him, auntie Melly?'' Eevee inquired innocently.

''I did, but it was under your daddy's commands, sweetie,'' she replied, ruffling the fur on the top of her head.

Eevee giggled. ''You're awesome, auntie Melly! You defeated the scary Dragonite,'' she said with child-like amazement. ''I just hope he wants to be my new friend,'' she whispered afterwards.

''Didn't you find him scary a moment ago, squirt?'' Pikachu asked with amusement.

She nodded her head. ''But I also want to know him! He's one of daddy's pokemon, so that automatically makes him one of my friends as well!'' she replied.

Pikachu laughed at the reasoning of the young fox pokemon. ''Well, pipsqueak, the only way to find out is to ask him. I'm sure Ash is going to use him very soon, and I don't think he'll be able to resist being friends with such a sweetheart like you.''

''Thank you, uncle Pika!'' she yipped happily.

Meanwhile, Ash had gotten directions from the random trainer to the gym. When they all had finished their lunch, the raven haired boy wasted no time.

''Well, guys. It's time we earned ourselves another badge!''

* * *

When Ash walked through the door of the electric-type gym, the first thing he noticed were two cool trainers staring him down with confident smirks on their faces.

''Hi, I'm Ash Ketchum and I'm here for a pokemon battle to earn a Thunder badge,'' he declared casually.

One of the cool trainers called to someone in the back of the gym. ''Hey boss, another victim for the emergency room!''

Meloetta cocked her head. 'Are they seriously this arrogant?' she thought.

At the far end of the gym, a giant silhouette rose from a seat. Even though he was easily three times bigger than Ash, the raven haired trainer almost looked bored with the gym leader's appearance. Probably because he had battled a pokemon the size of a skyscraper not too long ago.

''So,'' he said in a deep, gravely voice, walking out of the shadows to reveal himself, ''you're here to battle me? Okay then, baby.''

Ash frowned. ''I'm not a baby. I'm Ash Ketchum!''

The gym leader—who was called Lt. Surge—began to laugh. ''I call everybody who loses to me a baby,'' he declared cockily.

Meloetta began to grow irritated. This guy better had to stop mocking Ash, or she personally was going to show how strong her trainer was. Eevee too, was starting to get pissed off with how little respect Lt. Surge was giving her daddy.

But before they could react to Lt. Surge, he had his attention already on Pikachu, who was glaring at him with just as much ferocity as they were.

''Huh? A Pikachu! Hey guys, look at this,'' Surge sneered, ''baby brought along a baby pokemon!'' They all began to laugh obnoxiously.

This time, Meloetta and Eevee were beyond livid. Both were going to give a piece of their mind, wasn't it for the fact Ash stopped them.

''You know,'' he began clamly, holding the pokeball up that contained his Dragonite, ''I could show you this pokemon, and then we'll see whether I'm still a baby who only brings along baby pokemon, but then there would be nothing left of your gym. Besides, you insulted my Pikachu, and I'm sure he's itching to have a battle against whatever pokemon you have.''

''Pika pika!''

''You claim to have a pokemon who could destroy my gym with his attacks, yet you want to use Pikachu? This baby is a terrible liar as well!''

'Actually, his sheer size alone would destroy your gym,' Ash thought, but he decided to be mature and ignore Lt. Surge's mockings.

''Melo mel!'' Ash's petite legendary said angrily, advising Ash to send out Dragonite anyway and to be done with it.

''No, I won't use him. Pikachu will be enough, I'm sure.''

Ash turned his attention to his electric starter. ''I believe in you, buddy. Let's roll.''

''Okay then, baby! I'll accept your challenge.'' With a snap of his fingers, the lights in the gym turned on, and both Surge and Ash took their spot on the battlefield.

''This will be an official one-on-one league battle for the Thunderbadge, Ash Ketchum from Pallet town, versus the gym leader, Lt. Surge. The battle is over when one of the pokemon is unable to battle, begin!'' A robotic voice informed, before a bell rang, indicating the battle had started.

''Pikachu, I choose you!'' Ash said, sending out his trusty electric starter. He appeared in front of Ash, cheeks sparkling and ready for battle.

''Good luck, uncle! I know you can do it,'' Eevee cheered.

''Shut this loudmouth up for me, will you, Pikachu?'' Meloetta added kindly.

''Don't worry, girls. This battle is mine. I'll win for Ash in a heartbeat!''

Lt. Surge began to laugh. ''You should've evolved your Pikachu immediately when you had the chance. Now, let me show you what true power is. Go, Raichu!''

The evolved form of Pikachu appeared on the battlefield with a wide smirk, looking down on his opponent, much like Lt. Surge had done to Ash.

''A Raichu, huh?'' Ash muttered. He was pretty impressed on the inside—because this was his first time seeing Pikachu's evolution—but stayed completely indifferent on the outside. After all, his Pikachu needed all the confidence he could get.

'Well, I'm just going to treat this battle like I did against my Dragonite. Evasion, speed and longevity is key. Make sure to dodge the heavy hits of this Raichu and slowly dwindle it down.'

''Raichu, start this off with a Body slam!''

Meloetta scowled. 'This guy has no sense of sportsmanship whatsoever. What kind of gym leader doesn't give the challenger the first move?'

''Okay, Pikachu. Use Agility to dodge, and then retaliate with your Thundershock!''

Just when Raichu was about to bring his whole weight down on Pikachu, he was gone in a flash.

Raichu looked flabbergasted when he crashed on the hard floor. Regaining his senses, he growled and followed Pikachu with another Body slam, and another. He constantly missed his much quicker opponent, adding to his fastly growing annoyance, before Pikachu unleashed a small, potent bolt of electricity that had Raichu grumbling in mild pain.

This in turn, made Lt. Surge grit his teeth. ''Okay, I see your Pikachu is quick. But let him dodge this! Raichu, Thunderbolt!''

Raichu grinned with new found vigor. Cheeks crackling dangerously, he unleashed a massive amount of pent up electricity. The room flashed and a loud boom was heard when the multiple bolts were shot to Pikachu's general direction. The floor was destroyed in the process, as were all the glass windows. They popped out of their frames like overripe berries.

When the onslaught was done, Pikachu was in the middle of it all, looking pretty damaged. His Agility had helped him avoid the more potent bolts, but he was unable to dodge the entire attack. Even if it was not very effective, it had done quite a number on him. Ash was sure he would've been done for if Raichu's Thunderbolt had hit head-on.

''Great job, Pikachu! Now use Quick attack,'' Ash countered.

Steeling himself and ignoring the pain in his muscles, Pikachu shot forwards like a bullet, running circles around Raichu, who was unable to keep track of him. With a lot of force, Pikachu bashed his head against the back of the larger rodent, knocking him off his feet.

''Oh no, Raichu! Get up,'' Lt. Surge commanded, practically sensing the disaster that was about to come.

''Now, Pikachu. Finish this off with a Thundershock!'' Ash called victoriously.

Pikachu flashed with electricity. A single, massive bolt thundered towards Raichu, who was unable to dodge. He cried out in pain when he got hit, and fell face first downwards in defeat.

''Raichu is unable to battle, Pikachu wins! This means the victory goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet town, congratulations!''

''Yeah, Pikachu! You did it!'' Ash cheered exuberantly. He scooped his tired, hard working pokemon up in his arms, and held him close. ''I'm so proud of you, buddy.''

''Chaa,'' he replied weakly, nuzzling his cheek against Ash.

''Yay, you were so awesome, uncle Pika,'' Eevee squealed.

''Good battle, Pikachu. You've certainly improved a lot,'' Meloetta praised sweetly.

''Thanks, girls,'' he muttered, ready to fall over. This was the toughest battle he's had ever since Ash started his journey.

''Impossible!'' Lt. Surge muttered. How could his Raichu be defeated like this?

''Strength isn't everything in a battle, Lt. Surge. You need speed, endurance, type coverage and overall, a good tactic to overcome your opponents as well,'' Ash lectured him maturely.

The electric gym leader gave a wide grin, before he burst in full blown laughter. ''Looks like I underestimated you, Ash Ketchum. You have deserved this!''

He walked over to Ash, and handed him his third badge.

''All right, I got a Thunder badge!'' the raven haired boy shouted victoriously. Eevee yipped excitedly with her trainer, while Meloetta giggled.

''Listen to me, Ash. On the dock here in Vermillion there's a big cruise ship called the S.S. Anne. There are a lot of strong trainers on there. You need a ticket to go on board, but since you've earned my respect, I'll pay it for you.''

Ash bowed gratefully. ''Thank you, Lt. Surge.''

The raven haired trainer and his pokemon left the gym, and when they were out of sight, the two cool trainers gave a big sigh out of relief.

''Honestly, Lt. Surge. Why'd you have us make fun of the kid with the legendary? He could've blown us all the way back and you know it.''

He grinned. ''I treat every beginning trainer the same. The world of pokemon isn't all rainbows and sunshine. Every trainer is going to face some form of adversary in their travels, especially a kid with a legendary. I'm here to teach these kids the first step in how to deal with an imposing guy like me, and Ash passed with flying colors.''

Lt. Surge gave another hearty laugh. ''Yep. I'm sure Ash Ketchum is going to get far.''

* * *

 **So that concludes the battle against Lt. Surge! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are nice, I love them :D Until next time!**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	13. The BFG

**New chapter, people! Enjoy :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, more pokemon related songs would exist.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

Just outside Vermillion city—in the woods where Ash knew he wouldn't be bothered by anybody—he and his pokemon were about to release Dragonite for the first time.

''Melo mel,'' his petite legendary chirped sweetly. She saw how hesitant Ash was, and gave him a lovely kiss on his cheek in assurance.

''I know he isn't going to harm me. I trust you, Meloetta. It's just—''

He looked at the cowering form of Eevee, who had hidden herself behind Pikachu.

''He's kinda massive.''

''I have to agree with Ash on this one,'' Pikachu stated. ''We look like Caterpie in comparison to him.''

Meloetta gave the electric rodent a sweet smile. ''It'll be okay, Pikachu, don't worry. He will listen to Ash no doubt.''

''Really?'' Eevee quivered.

''Yes, honey. He'll be a big friendly giant. Just watch.''

She nodded to Ash, who steeled himself. ''Okay, here goes nothing.''

He threw the pokeball into the air, and in front of him his Dragonite materialized. Just like the raven haired trainer remembered, he was simply huge.

The dragon-type looked confused for a moment, until he noticed Ash and his pokemon in front of him when he looked down. Gently, he held out one of his massive paws for the trainer to climb up on. Ash and his pokemon took the invitation, and got hoisted high into the air, until they were at eye level with Dragonite.

From here, Ash could see all of the woods and Vermillion city clearly. He was amazed at the breathtaking scenery.

''Awesome,'' Eevee whispered, her fear completely forgotten as she stared with wide eyes in every direction. Pikachu too, was in awe. He couldn't believe how high up they were.

''Trainer,'' the Dragonite grumbled calmly, ''You and Meloetta have bested me. Therefore, you have gained my respect. So it'll be an honour training under your care.''

He bowed his head deeply for the raven haired boy, and even though Ash couldn't understand him exactly, his gesture was crystal clear.

Ash blushed deeply, and rubbed his head out of embarrassment. ''Thank you, Dragonite. I'll be sure to treat you with lots of care and kindness. My name's Ash, by the way, and these will be your new partners, Pikachu and Eevee. You have already met Meloetta, of course.''

Dragonite gave them a kind smile. ''It is nice to meet you, Pikachu and Eevee. Please, don't let my size scare you away.''

He then focused his attention on the melodical legendary. ''And it seems I underestimated your power, Meloetta. I am very impressed with your strength. It's no wonder you've chosen Ash as your trainer. It seems to me he's a very pure soul.''

Meloetta giggled while taking a seat on Ash's shoulder and giving him another kiss on the cheek.

''Well, he is the chosen one, after all.''

Dragonite's eyes widened a bit, but then a small smile formed on his lips. ''I see. It doesn't surprise me that much. Just like it doesn't surprise me that you like Ash romantically, really. It's pretty obvious.''

A shy blush spread on Meloetta's cheeks. He figured that out way too fast, and it made Pikachu snicker. ''I think you and I are going to be great pals.''

Dragonite's smile turned smug. ''Oh? Is our small lady here a bit embarrassed about the fact she has feelings for our trainer? Adorable.''

Both Pikachu and Dragonite burst out in laughter, while Meloetta puffed up her flustered cheeks in annoyance. ''Great. Now I have to deal with _two_ guys teasing me,'' she muttered.

Meanwhile, Eevee had mustered up all of her courage, and walked forward on Dragonite's open palm.

''Oh, hello there, small one,'' Dragonite greeted kindly when he saw her approach him.

Eevee gulped. His voice still sounded like crackling thunder, even if he was speaking gently. She steeled her shuddering muscles and closed her eyes, preparing herself to be brave. ''Dragonite, will you be my friend?'' she blurted out, her innocent question catching the giant completely off guard.

''Huh, I didn't expect that,'' he mumbled under his breath. Eevee could still hear him loud and clear, though. The range of his voice was that great.

''Eevee, what makes you think I won't be your friend?''

''Your size,'' she squeaked back honestly.

The dragon-type rumbled. ''I see. I can assure you, small one, that my size won't be a factor in anything, especially not in our future friendship.'' He gave her a soft smile. ''So, I'd love to be your friend.''

Eevee's eyes sparkled with joy, and she yipped happily in response. ''Yay! Thank you, Dragonite! We'll be the best of friends.''

''I'm sure of it,'' he agreed with her while nodding his head.

Ash chuckled, largely getting the jist of what Eevee had asked. ''All right then. Could you lower us back to the ground, Dragonite?''

The giant nodded his head. ''Of course, Ash. There's one thing I still need to tell you, though. I may be very strong, but that's also my downside. I can't exactly control my output strength sometimes,'' he admitted shamefully. ''It has left me without company for long periods of time, because I'm afraid I'll destroy too much stuff. So please be careful when using me in crowded areas.''

''Poor guy,'' Meloetta muttered. ''Now I feel bad for hurting you so much.''

''Don't be. It was a great battle. Exactly what I needed after doing nothing for over twenty years,'' the dragon-type reassured kindly.

''And hey, now you've got us,'' Pikachu added. ''So you won't be lonely anymore.''

''Yes, and I thank you guys for that, honestly. It feels great to be with other people again after so long.''

Dragonite's voice was filled with gratefulness, and once he had put Ash, Eevee, Pikachu and Meloetta back down on the ground, the raven haired trainer returned him to his pokeball.

''Okay then! Now, who wants to enjoy a luxury cruise with me?''

* * *

In the Viridian city gym, a sinister looking man was sitting behind his desk, idly stroking his purebred Persian. The room was pretty dark, obscuring his face and leaving his true identity in the shadows for the grunts who brought in their reports.

Giovanni liked it this way. The boss of Team Rocket wanted to create a powerful image of himself; somebody who wasn't to be messed with and respected at all times.

He calmly stared at his screen, where three idiot grunts where doing their reports. The only redeeming quality about this trio thus far was that they stayed loyal through and through, and somehow kept on making the most ridiculous robots to catch pokemon. Even Giovanni didn't know where they got all the resources and money to keep making these gigantic mechas, and frankly he wasn't interested in that at the moment.

''What!?'' he shouted loudly, quickly losing his temper while slamming a fist down on his desk. ''Your latest operation in Cerulean city was a bust!? How is it possible you keep on failing these easy assignments I've been giving you? Again and again you've disappointed me!''

''Sorry, boss,'' Jessie, James and Meowth muttered. ''This time, we honestly couldn't do anything about it. There was this twerp and—''

''Spare me your excuses!'' His dark voice thundered through the screen to the Rocket trio while his Persian hissed dangerously.

''You're not going to tell me a single trainer stopped you while you guys were operating a big robot!''

Meowth steeled his growing nerves. ''But boss, he wasn't just your average trainer. He's the twerp with the legendary; he has a Meloetta.'' Both Jessie and James nodded their head in agreement.

This got Giovanni's attention. ''So, it's true then. This kid has a Meloetta, you say?''

''He does, and we know who it is too.''

Giovanni stayed silent for a moment. ''Interesting,'' he noted. Maybe he finally had a good use for these three idiots, after all.

''Rocket agents Jessie, James and Meowth. I request for you to return to headquarters immediately.''

''Yes boss!'' they saluted.

* * *

In Pallet town, at the lab, professor Oak was drinking a nice cup of coffee. It had been a busy day, but now, he could finally sit back and relax a little.

'Oh, that reminds me. Ash had recently caught a new pokemon. Let's see what kind of pokemon he has added to his team.'

After a quick search under Ash's name, his available pokemon appeared on screen.

The professor perked his brow in mild surprise at what he saw. 'A Dragonite? Well, that's certainly surprising, but with a Meloetta at his side, if he happened to encouter one, catching it wouldn't be a lot of trouble,' he mused.

Idly, he clicked on the specifics of the pokemon. What he read made him spit out his coffee in absolute shock.

''It's two-hundred feet tall!?'' he yelled out incredulously. It only took the professor a couple more seconds to read the rest of the data, and after he was done, he dropped down on his chair again, absolutely stunned.

''Ash has caught an ancient pokemon... '' Professor Oak was at a loss for words, and looked at his half empty mug.

''I need something stronger.''

* * *

 **Well, things are brewing in the background. It looks like Team Rocket is finally going to prepare a real move to catch Meloetta! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please, I crave them like breakfast waffles ;) Next chapter Ash vs Gary on the S.S. Anne! Until next time.**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	14. On the SS Anne

**Here's the next chapter, enjoy people :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ash would actually age.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts.

* * *

In front of the S.S. Anne, Ash was waiting in line, ready to board the massive cruiser which was ready to set sail. The young man could barely contain his excitement as he let his eyes wander over the hull of the ship with a lot of curiosity.

''Awesome,'' he exclaimed, impressed with the sheer size of the S.S. Anne. He had never seen such a massive ship before, and thanks to Lt. Surge's generosity, he could board it for free.

''Melo!'' His invisible legendary had to agree in a hushed tone. She was floating at Ash's right, as usual, and was just as eager as her trainer.

Pikachu was resting on Ash's right shoulder, looking with wide eyes at the cruiser, while Eevee was on his left shoulder, yipping happily.

''Yay, we're going to ride the boat!'' she sang joyfully, wagging her bushy tail from side to side.

''We certainly are, pipsqueak. It's going to be an experience we will never forget, I'm sure,'' Pikachu replied while giving her a friendly rub on the head.

She giggled; all of her muscles tensing in anticipation. She couldn't wait until they were finally on board. ''Are we going to battle on the ship?''

Meloetta cooed, and gave her a gentle hug. ''Of course we are, sweetie,'' she whispered. ''We're going to win for your daddy and make him proud, okay?''

''Yes! I want to battle for daddy and show how much stronger I've gotten,'' she yipped back cheerfully.

Pikachu laughed. ''Aren't you eager, pipsqueak. It's good timing though; your uncle is still a bit tired from the battle against Raichu. So the spotlight is all yours, sweetie.''

Eevee nodded her fluffy head and nuzzled Ash's cheek. ''I'm going to do my best, daddy. Just watch me.''

Ash giggled at the ticklish feeling of his fox pokemon's soft fur against his cheek, and nuzzled her back.

''You're excited, huh?''

Eevee gave a high-pitched cry of approval, very much enjoying Ash's affection.

''Just a little longer, Eevee. We're all excited. I can barely wait myself,'' the raven haired trainer confessed.

''Melo mel,'' his petite legendary then chirped lovingly, hugging her trainer close and nudging him forwards; it was finally their turn to board.

* * *

The S.S. Anne was just as impressing on the inside as it was on the outside. When Ash entered, he was soon directed to the main ballroom.

There, little stands were set up, selling all different kind of pokemon related merchandise. But that wasn't what caught Ash's eyes. In the middle of the ballroom, a massive crowd had gathered around a pokemon battle. A loud explosion followed, determining the battle. Cheers could be heard for the victor, who was apparently undefeated.

''It was to be expected,'' a very familiar voice sneered. ''After all, your Porygon was no match for my Wartortle.''

Upon hearing the voice, Ash's eyes turned to saucers. ''No way,'' he muttered. He couldn't believe it.

As if Gary had heard him, he turned around and gave a cocky smirk to the raven haired boy when he noticed him. ''Well, if it isn't Ashy-boy!'' he stated obnoxiously. ''I'm impressed. I would've never expected you here.'' Gary's tone was mocking, taunting Ash who couldn't help but ball his fists.

''Gary!'' he grumbled in return through gritted teeth, his happiness completely gone.

Meloetta's attitude changed drastically too. Her cheery demeanor turned serious very fast. She didn't know Gary that well, but from what she had heard and seen when Ash started his journey, she could only conclude he was a big bully, and bullies needed to learn their place.

''The one and only, Ashy-boy. So, you've defeated Lt. Surge I've heard.'' Gary sauntered closer to the raven haired boy while his personal cheerleader squad followed behind him.

''Yeah, I did. He was pretty tough, but I won on my first try!'' Ash responded proudly.

Gary began to laugh—as did his cheerleaders—and he snorted. ''Tough? He was way too easy. His Raichu was laughable, just like your Pikachu is, probably.''

Pikachu growled, his cheeks sparking dangerously with electricity at Gary's comment.

''Oh, and I see you've got yourself an Eevee as well. Are you trying to copy me, Ashy-boy?'' he taunted. ''Well, at least do it right. That Eevee looks way too weak.''

Meloetta felt a wave of anger well up inside her. 'How dare you insult Pikachu, Eevee and my Ash?' she thought furiously. It was only because Eevee had already jumped from Ash's shoulder in front of him, ready to battle, that she hadn't acted yet.

Ash reacted confident to Gary's remark, especially when he saw the fire in his Eevee's eyes and her proactive response. ''Weak? My Eevee is in the top percentage of Eevee. She will defeat your Eevee with no trouble.''

''Oh really? I bet Pikachu and Eevee are your only pokemon so far. Well let me tell you, I've already caught forty five different pokemon. Do you still think your Eevee can defeat me?'' Gary declared cockily.

''It doesn't matter how many different pokemon you have, Gary. The only thing that matters is how you train them.''

Gary gave a low whistle and snickered to his cheerleaders. ''See that, girls? Ash is trying to be a big boy. Let me show you what happens to little kids that act tough!''

They all cheered him on in response. ''Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can. Go, Gary!''

Gary cracked his neck, and then confidently threw his pokemon of choice on the field. ''Go, Eevee!''

The brown fox appeared in front of Gary, almost identical to Ash's own pokemon. The only difference between Gary's Eevee and Ash's Eevee was that she was a bit bigger.

When Gary's Eevee spotted her opponent, she began to chuckle disrespectfully. ''Oh my, aren't you a bit young to battle me? I don't want to hurt you, little girl.''

Eevee growled. ''Try to hurt me. I'm going to defeat you for my daddy so that your meanie trainer will shut up,'' she squeaked.

''You tell her, pipsqueak!'' Pikachu cheered. ''Go got her!''

Gary's Eevee feigned hurt. ''My meanie trainer? Now why would you call him that?''

''He told me I was weak! That's a lie. My daddy trained me really hard, as did Uncle Pika and Aunt Melly.''

Gary's Eevee chuckled again. ''Is that so? Do you know what I think? That your trainer is the one who's lying. You're not strong, you're weak. He's been feeding you lies because he pities you.''

''Don't listen to her, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu called out.

''Why don't you shut your yap, pretty boy?'' Gary's Eevee retaliated smoothly, winking at him.

Pikachu blushed slightly and mumbled something under his breath, but otherwise didn't say anything.

''Hey, don't be a meanie to my uncle!''

''I can be anything I want, little girl, because I'm strong. Face it, your _daddy_ doesn't really love you. You're weak; a pathetic Eevee that still has a lot of growing to do.''

Tears started to form in Eevee's eyes, while her legs started to buckle. This made Gary's Eevee smirk. Beating down her opponent mentally, especially such a rookie as Ash's Eevee, was way too easy and satisfying. She had her shook. Ensuring victory was going to be a cakewalk now.

''Uhm, Meloetta,'' Pikachu hissed. ''Shouldn't you intervene?''

The only response he got was a petite hand of the legendary on his shoulder in reassurance. Meloetta was calm; very calm. She obviously knew something Pikachu didn't know, so he decided to trust her.

Meanwhile, Gary and Ash were ready to battle, while the former of the two was snickering. Ash's Eevee was shaking almost uncontrollably. He understood it very clearly though; his Eevee was just that intimidating, simple as that.

''Well loser, you'll get the first shot. Show me your Eevee's strongest Tackle,'' he taunted with a grin, which resulted in some laughs from the crowd. They too saw how much Ash's Eevee was shaking. It was obvious who was going to win.

''Okay. Eevee, Quick Attack followed with Take Down,'' Ash commanded.

Gary's Eevee never saw it coming. She fully expected her opponent to be rooted to her spot, too afraid to even move anymore and second doubting herself because of the things she said. However, the complete opposite happened.

In a split second, the moment Ash was done uttering his attack, Eevee's features turned to absolute fury. She disappeared for the naked eye, her Quick Attack so fast it propelled her forwards like a jet engine. The next moment, she had converted all of that momentum in a Take Down, which hit Gary's Eevee square on her chest.

There was no cry of pain, only a loud thud as she was sent flying like a lethal object to Gary, who in turn got hit square in his chest as well. Gary grunted painfully as he and Eevee both tumbled down hard on the floor; she was knocked out instantly.

The crowd watched slack-jawed and with bated breath. Nobody dared to say a thing as Ash's Eevee walked to a stunned Gary as if she was Giratina incarnated and coming for his soul.

When she was looming over them with a murderous snarl, she took a deep breath. ''You never, _ever_ , say a bad thing about my daddy again,'' she squeaked loudly. ''He would never lie to me. He made me strong! I am strong!''

She looked back at Ash, Pikachu and where she knew Meloetta was. Especially when she saw the proud look on Ash's face, her eyes started to water with joy. ''I love my daddy.''

A bright light then began to take over her body, which made her shine as brilliantly as the sun. She grew bigger, taller, stronger. Her fur changed from a chocolate brown to a cream and pink color, and her eyes turned to a beautiful sky blue.

When her evolution was complete, only a gorgeous young Sylveon remained, which made Ash gasp loudly.

''She... she evolved,'' he muttered, stunned at her beauty and radiance.

He didn't know how to react. It took Meloetta to get him out of his spell and to call out to his just evolved Sylveon.

''Eevee, you've evolved! You're a Sylveon!'' he yelled happily. ''You did it, girl. You did it!''

Sylveon couldn't contain her emotions anymore. With a contagious smile and tears falling freely from her eyes, she tackled her trainer and nuzzled him in pure joy. She cried her eyes out while she yipped happily.

''I love you, daddy. Thank you, thank you for always believing in me!''

Ash didn't respond. There was no need. Sometimes, a gesture was worth more than a thousand words. Instead, he kissed her softly on her forehead while keeping her close.

It didn't take long before Pikachu and Meloetta joined in too, all hugging Ash close. He felt warm inside. These pokemon were his family through and through. They loved him, and he loved them back. Nothing was ever going to change that fact.

* * *

 **So hey, Eevee finally evolved and Gary got what he deserved :D So did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are always welcome! Next chapter the conclusion of the S.S Anne. Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	15. The storm

**The conclusion of the S.S. Anne, people. Enjoy :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, more unique pokemon typings would exist.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

'Impossible,' Gary thought over and over again. He couldn't believe it; he'd lost against Ash. He stared with wide eyes at the raven haired boy, who was happily hugging his Pikachu and Sylveon.

Gary recalled his defeated Eevee, and wordlessly left the scene with his cheerleaders in tow. He was devastated, but above all, very envious about how awesome Ash's Sylveon was. He'd never seen a Sylveon before, and it made him angry that Ash had one while he didn't. Moreover, he lost in a matter of seconds, something which he hadn't expected in a million years.

'Maybe Ashy-boy was right,' he thought to himself with his head turned low.

'I should put more effort in training the pokemon who I use more, instead of catching so many different pokemon that I can't even keep track of them all.'

He turned his face into a bittersweet smile. 'You got this one, Ash, I'll give you that. Next time, however, things will be very much different.'

* * *

A little while later, in the dining room of the S.S. Anne, Ash was celebrating his victory over Gary with a nice dinner for his pokemon and him. More importantly, his Eevee had evolved into a gorgeous Sylveon, which was worth a celebration in itself.

''I couldn't be more proud of you, Sylveon. You've worked so hard for this moment,'' the raven haired trainer praised his fairy-type while petting her soft, fluffy fur.

''Syl!'' she sang in a sweet voice, amiably munching on her pokepuffs while nuzzling into Ash's hand. She couldn't be happier at the moment and enjoyed every second of it.

''Really, squirt. You showed that Eevee who's boss,'' Pikachu brought in while he was busy licking a ketchup bottle.

''Thanks, uncle Pika!'' she declared sweetly.

Meloetta giggled. ''It seems that Gary's Eevee had a bit of an eye for you too, Pikachu.''

Her teasing had the desired effect. Pikachu turned a bit shy and huffed in denial. ''Well, it's not that I like her or anything. She has the same attitude as her trainer; acting like she's superior in everything that she does. Besides, she insulted Sylveon and Ash.''

''Yeah, she's a meanie!'' Sylveon agreed while nodding her head.

''well, sweetheart,'' Meloetta cooed, ''You put that meanie in her place. Next time, she will think twice in underestimating you.''

The group was interrupted when a loud thunderclap pierced the heavens and shook the windows on their framework. Angry clouds had packed together in a matter of seconds; the wind had picked up as well and waves began to rock the ship.

Sylveon—startled—hid behind Ash while Pikachu looked on worriedly. Murmurs and panicked whispers from other passengers quickly spread, especially because the waves became rougher and rougher.

''This is one scary storm,'' Ash whispered, ''Will we be okay, Meloetta?''

''Melo meloetta,'' she replied soothingly to her trainer. She had confidence in her own skills that if worst came to worst, she could keep the ship safe.

''Attention, passengers!'' the captain spoke over the intercom. ''It appears we're in some rough waters at the moment. Please remain calm. The S.S. Anne is unsinkable, so there's nothing to worry about.''

Immediately when the captain was done speaking, though, a particularly rough wave began to capsize the massive cruiser, sending human and pokemon alike in a frenzy of fear.

Tables and chairs began to slide from their spots, food and tableware clattered on the ground and the lights began to flicker. Loud creaks of protest from the hull and the floor rang through the room, while full blown panic broke out under the passengers.

''Meloetta!'' Ash screamed at the top of his lungs while holding Pikachu and Sylveon protectively in his arms.

He didn't have to shout twice. Meloetta had already turned visible, eyes aglow with her immense psychic powers. With everything she could muster, she pressed down on the other side of the S.S. Anne, desperately trying to stop her from capsizing.

For a moment, it looked like she was unable to do it, but with a snarl and a loud cry of her name, she halted the momentum of the massive cruiser to a complete stop, which was now turned at a forty-five-degree angle. Sweat dripped from her brow; rough waves were still battering the ship. There was no way she was going to keep this up for long.

''Melo melo!'' she cried to Ash through gritted teeth. Massive thunderclaps went off almost non-stop, and a heavy rain poured down from the heavens above.

Ash widened his eyes at her suggestion to leave the ship without her. ''No way! I'm not leaving you behind, Meloetta. Just hold on, I'll figure something out!''

''Mel!''

Ash returned Sylveon to her pokeball for the time being, and put Pikachu on his shoulder. ''Hang on tight, buddy. I've got a plan!''

''Pika pika!'' The electric rodent nodded his head in determination.

At the same time, crew members were already busy evacuating the S.S. Anne. Small boats were filled with humans and lowered to the water as quickly as possible. When Ash sprinted on the deck, he looked with a grimace on his face to all the people still running around in panic. 'Meloetta's not going to last that long. I've no choice but to use him.'

The raven haired trainer hurried himself to the railing of the ship on the other side and threw a single pokeball into the air. ''Dragonite, I choose you!''

The massive behemoth appeared in the dark, stormy evening, eyes aglow when he landed in the water with a massive splash. This resulted in huge counter waves coming from the other side of the ship, threatening to drown the S.S. Anne entirely.

''Dragonite, stop the waves with your Dragon Claw, quickly!'' Ash yelled out in alarm. He hadn't put in account that Dragonite's size would create such dangerous waves.

His dragon-type was quick to see the danger, and sliced the waves horizontally with his paw, reducing them into nothing. The wind he generated with his slice was like a deadly Air Slash, that luckily traveled the other way, slicing through waves until it dissipated into nothing in the far distance.

'I really need to start working on Dragonite's power output as soon as possible,' Ash thought with wide eyes and ragged breath.

''Sorry, Ash,'' Dragonite rumbled apologetically. His voice was sad, but the raven haired trainer waved it off dismissively.

''Don't worry about it. Those are concerns for later. The cruiser, Dragonite! Meloetta is not going to keep it for longer. Lift it up.''

The ancient pokemon complied, and put his massive paws on the hull of the ship. This caused even more panic from the passengers who were still on board. They expected the giant dragon to finish them off, but to their astonishment, he instead began to help them.

Meanwhile, Meloetta could finally relax as she felt a strong force from outside helping her to keep the S.S. Anne in her place.

''Thank you, Dragonite!'' she chirped melodically. She released the breath she didn't know she was holding, and went outside to see Ash giving his giant pokemon pointers.

''Just like that, Dragonite. Easy there, take your time.''

Within a couple of minutes, the damaged S.S. Anne was steadily floating on the waves again. It took Dragonite a lot of willpower, though. His paws were shaking; doing his absolute best not to use too much strength. When he was done, he wiped away the sweat that had formed on his face with a satisfied smile.

''Awesome, Dragonite! You did it. Nice job!'' Ash praised.

''Anytime, Ash,'' he replied with a gentle nod.

The raven haired trainer returned him to his pokeball when nobody was looking, and seeing that the worst of the storm was over, gave his Meloetta a warm hug. ''Thank you,'' he whispered in her ear, which made the petite legendary blush.

''Mel mel,'' she replied sweetly, hugging her trainer back with eagerness. She enjoyed the soft embrace she was currently in with Ash, and wished it could last forever.

Unfortunately, everything came to an end. When most passengers realized the storm had settled, some of them had noticed Ash and Meloetta, and they soon began to notify the other people.

''Hey everybody! It's the kid with the legendary! He saved us!''

A crowd was forming around the duo in no time, all clapping for him and Meloetta. Ash reacted shyly while rubbing the back of his head, while Meloetta giggled and bowed gratefully.

''This kid didn't save us at all,'' a voice scoffed suddenly. It was a young man with blue hair and sunglasses at the top of his head. He wore a pink shirt, black pants and had his arms crossed. His scowl immediately gave away for a chuckle when he got the attention that he sought.

''You're all blind to see, people. Was it not the ancient pokemon who saved us all? He graced us with his presence, and from the kindness of his heart, helped us out. No, this _kid_ , he's a fraud, not fit to command the power that is Meloetta.''

He paused for dramatic effect, and gave a toothy grin. ''If it were me that had trained Meloetta—Damian—then she would've saved the ship by herself without the help of the ancient pokemon. But with this _kid_...'' He shook his head.

'Is he serious right now?' Meloetta thought despitefully. 'He better shut up really fast, because I'm not in the mood to hear this kind of nonsense, _at all_.'

Damian continued. ''The way I see it, there's only one logical conclusion.'' Damian turned his attention to Ash and Meloetta, who both looked ready to explode. ''You give Meloetta to me, simple. Clearly, I'm way more fit to train her than you do and—''

The next moment, Meloetta had knocked him out with her psychic and rendered him unconscious. She huffed indignantly at Damian, before hugging Ash again.

''Anyone got a problem with that?'' Ash asked. When all the passengers shook their heads, he smiled.

''Good, me neither.''

* * *

When Ash was back in the privacy of his cabin with Meloetta, he could see the sly smile and blush on her face, clear as day. It was obvious what she wanted, and with a gentle push, she had her raven haired trainer trapped against a wall. Ash didn't protest, certainly not when she gently cupped his cheeks, and went in for a deep kiss, capturing his lips with her own. Her lips were like honey, sweet and soft as she pressed them against Ash. He couldn't help but to close his eyes and kiss her back in earnest.

A shiver traveled from Meloetta's spine upwards. She was on cloud nine at the moment. Ash was serenading her in a sweet melody that had her only wanting more, much more. Again and again, she kissed him, soft murmurs escaping her mouth whenever she moved away and then went in for another kiss. An adorable blush had taken over her face, her heart was beating in her chest and her hands were shaking, but she didn't care. All she cared about was Ash at the moment.

''Melo,'' she chirped softly to Ash once she had moved away again.

''I know you're mine, Meloetta,'' he replied back with a smile. She had chosen him for a reason, he knew. Nobody was going to change the fact she was his pokemon forever, and she sealed that promise with another loving kiss.

* * *

 **So there you have it! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are very much appreciated! I'm addicted to them :D Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	16. Giant and Cruel

**Hey guys! The new chapter has arrived. Enjoy ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ash would evolve all of his pokemon.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

On a small island off the coast of Saffron city, the damaged S.S. Anne safely docked the harbor. Thanks to Meloetta and Dragonite's amazing work, they'd saved the massive cruiser from certain calamity under Ash's command. Naturally, they were received as heroes by the locals, who were all ecstatic to see the raven haired boy in person.

''There he is, that brave kid over there saved the S.S. Anne!''

''Does he really have a legendary?''

''I heard his legendary was able to hold the entire ship in place with her psychic powers alone.''

''Thanks, son, you're a true hero. We could never repay you for what you did.''

''His Pikachu is so cute! I bet he's strong too.''

Ash and Pikachu could only react embarrassed to all the praise they received, while Meloetta—who was currently invisible—stifled a joyful giggle. She absolutely loved how adorable Ash was at the moment and gave him a sweet hug.

The crowd, however, was quickly dispersed by a handful of flamboyant looking men in swimming attire. Amidst them, a cranky old lady took the spotlight.

''You there, young man,'' she began, getting the attention from the crowd as well. ''I heard you saved the S.S. Anne. Is that correct?''

''Yes it is, ma'am. But I couldn't have done it without my pokemon,'' Ash replied honestly.

The old lady nodded her head. ''Then it's true. Excellent! I am Nastina, and I require your help. Do you see that construction site over there?'' She pointed to a coral reef in the ocean.

Ash nodded his head. He'd seen it the moment it was in eyesight; it was pretty hard to miss.

''Good. My plan is to build an exclusive hotel on the ocean for wealthy tourists there. However, my building plans are being hindered by a school of meddling Tentacool. They're a big nuisance to me and my construction workers. That's why I want you to exterminate all of them!'' An evil glint appeared in her eyes. ''If you manage to accomplish the task, I'll give you a million dollars. So, what do you say, legendary trainer. Are you up for it?''

For a moment, it was deadly silent, before the raven haired trainer answered slowly. ''So, let me get this straight.'' He snapped with his finger and immediately, Meloetta became visible, shocking the crowd severely. She had a scowl on her face, just as Pikachu and Ash had. ''You want me to use the power of my legendary pokemon to hurt these Tentacool because they're defending their home you're destroying?''

''Eh,'' she stuttered, rubbing the back of her head. ''You see—''

''Not only that,'' Ash snarled, ''but you also want to bribe me with money. Nastina, if you think you'll be getting away with this, you're mistaken.''

Ash turned his back to her and walked away, ending the conversation.

Nastina harrumphed, crossing her arms indignantly. ''Whatever. The same offer still stands for whoever can help me get rid of these Tentacool. You don't have to worry about your pokemon. With this special stun sauce I made, it'll be easy peasy!''

Most of the crowd looked uneasy after Ash's solid answer, yet there were still a couple of guys who accepted all too eagerly.

Meanwhile, Ash was pretty frustrated. He couldn't believe that just happened. Angrily, he walked to Hutber Port's pokemon center.

''Pika Pikachu!''

''Melo mel.''

''I know guys.'' He sighed. ''But how am I suppose to ignore her? What she's doing is pure evil, yet I can't just go around destroying her site either.'' Ash looked back at the coral reef and the speedboat heading towards it. ''I guess there's nothing I can do here.''

Just then, under the widening eyes of the raven haired boy, a massive Tentacruel appeared out of nowhere. It was easily as big as Dragonite and twice as pissed off.

''Nastina's stun sauce,'' Ash muttered, putting two and two together. It must've landed on a Tentacool and evolved it into the beast that it was right now.

''I'll take my words back,'' Ash whispered, eyeing the tidal wave that was fastly approaching the port. It was filled with hundreds of angry Tentacool, as well as the Tentacruel.

Panic broke out; people ran for their lives, desperate to stay ahead of the tsunami that threatened to destroy the port.

''Sylveon, I choose you!'' Ash shouted, releasing his loyal fairy type. ''Listen, sweetie. Go with Pikachu. Get as many people to safety as you can.''

She nodded her head, understanding the seriousness of the situation. The electric rodent beckoned her over. ''Showtime, squirt.''

''Yes, uncle Pika. Let's go!''

The dynamic duo left their trainer while Ash gave Meloetta directions. ''You know what to do, Meloetta. The wave and the Tentacool are yours. That Tentacruel is going to meet his match soon enough.''

Meloetta smirked, nuzzled Ash and then floated into the sky like a comet.

At the same time, Tentacruel was fixated on the port with hatred in his eyes. 'You humans destroyed my home, now I'm going to destroy yours,' he thought maliciously.

However, something very unsuspecting happened. A very small being floated in the sky, and then, that being released such a powerful psychic blast that it destroyed his tsunami entirely. His whole attack collapsed like a pudding, shocking the Tentacruel to the bone.

'What in the world?'

Unfortunately, it didn't stop there. A bright light released a giant Dragonite in front of him, ready for battle, if his stance was any indication.

''Tentacruel,'' the dragon-type rumbled. ''At the request of my trainer and all the humans on this port, your message has been received loud and clear. Please stop your pursuit of harming innocent lives. We'll promise you to leave your coral reef alone.''

''Are you working for the humans?'' he answered back in annoyance. ''That'll make you no better then they are! Humans have been destroying this planet for far too long.''

Dragonite nodded his large head. ''It's true, Tentacruel. You don't think that I, as an ancient pokemon, don't know this? However, it is but a small portion of these humans that are causing all the trouble. We'll punish the one who's behind this accordingly. Now please leave peacefully, or else I have to consider you as a threat and take you out.''

Tentacruel's eyes flashed with malice. ''Take me out? I'm bringing justice on these humans and you dare to defy me, ancient one? My Tentacool will bring terror on this port and once I've destroyed you, I'm going to destroy every human civilization in Kanto!'' He roared threateningly.

The large Dragonite shook his head. ''Have you forgotten the one who has stopped your tsunami into nothing? She's driving off your army as we speak, just look around. Even if you manage to defeat me, which I doubt, she's stronger than I am. The outcome is clear, Tentacruel. Don't fight the inevitable. I'll give you one last chance to leave.''

Tentacruel couldn't believe it. He thought the explosions going off all around him were buildings being destroyed, but instead, it was the petite pokemon handling his Tentacool with ease. His left eye twitched. His rage reached a breaking point, and with an angry hiss, attacked Dragonite with a volley of poisonous sludge.

''Dragonite, counter it with your Wing Attack!'' Ash shouted.

The giant gave an affirmative rumble. His wings glowed as bright as the sun and he gave a loud roar as he flapped them violently against the incoming Sludge Bomb. The resulting clap reduced the Tentacruel's attack into nothing, while the pressurized air hit the Tentacruel head-on, blowing him away and making him crash violently into the ocean.

''Great job, Dragonite! Now, follow up with Extreme Speed. Don't give this Tentacruel time to recover!''

He obeyed his trainer with a nod. The otherwise slow dragon-type suddenly vanished for the naked eye and when he reappeared, used all of his momentum to slap his massive tail into Tentacruel's body, destructively sliding him over the surface of the ocean like a hockey puck until he came to a stop against the construction site of Nastina with a loud crash, making all of it explode.

Dragonite eyed his handy work with satisfaction. He may not be able to control his power, but his aim was deadly accurate, as always.

''Two birds with one stone,'' he rumbled to himself with a small smile. However, to his stupor, Tentacruel wasn't defeated yet. From the smoke and flames, a teal colored beam was fired straight at his body. Unable to dodge, the four times super effective Ice Beam hit him straight on, breaking his Multiscale.

Dragonite gritted his teeth. That hurt him more then he cared to admit. With a snarl, he looked back at the heavily damaged Tentacruel. The only reason the water and poison-type was still able to battle was because of sheer willpower alone.

''It's over, Tentacruel. Give up now. I don't want to hurt you any further,'' Dragonite warned, desperately trying to keep his cool. The last thing he wanted was to lose control and destroy the port himself because of his carelessness. One Earthquake would be more than enough.

He chuckled sinisterly while writhing in pain. ''Maybe. However, I will not let my efforts be in vain. You can protect yourself, I see. But, can you protect your trainer as well?'' he hissed.

In the next second, he shot another Ice Beam. However, this one was angled perfectly at Ash, with all of the intentions to get rid of him.

''Bad move,'' Dragonite replied calmly. He didn't even bother to intercept.

The beam never came close to Ash. It was destroyed in a matter of seconds by a telekinetic force. Meloetta floated calmly in front of the raven haired trainer, but her face screamed murderous intent.

''How _dare_ you?'' she spat venomously. Her eyes were glowing white with her psychic powers and her aura radiated hatred. ''I've been going easy on your Tentacool,'' she seethed, ''but now, you've got my full attention.''

Tentacruel could only whimper under her piercing gaze. ''Crap.''

* * *

Not much later, the issue had been dealt with. Nastina's plans were literally burning away in front of her eyes, while the Tentacool and the giant Tentacruel formed no threat anymore. Slowly, everything seemed to return to normal.

''Great job, you guys,'' Ash praised his pokemon. ''You were all amazing.''

''Pika pika!''

''Sylveon!''

''Mel!''

Ash eyed his giant dragon-type with a big smile. ''You did great too, Dragonite. Why don't you take a nice rest? Return.''

He gave an appreciative nod to his trainer, before being sucked back into his pokeball.

Looking around, Ash saw the cruiser he was waiting for docking the harbor. ''That's our ticket to Saffron city. What do you say, guys? You eager for another gym battle?''

''You betcha, Ash,'' Pikachu cheered.

''Of course, Daddy!'' Sylveon sang happily.

''Anytime, Ash,'' Meloetta chirped.

''Then, let's get our fourth badge!''

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review, please. I reply to every one of them! Next chapter Ash vs Sabrina. Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	17. Brain over brawn

**Hi guys! Here it is, Ash's fourth gym battle. Enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Brock would make a return in Sun and Moon.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

In a dark room, far in the back of the gym in Saffron city, a pair of feminine eyes glowed a bright red in anticipation. The young lady in question was looking through a telekinetic crystal ball. In the lap of the person, a creepy doll giggled ominously.

''So,'' Sabrina whispered, a hint of respect hidden deeply in her voice. ''You've finally come to play.'' She looked calmly at the person she was watching; a raven haired boy who had just entered her gym. ''Ash Ketchum.''

* * *

When Ash opened the door to the gym, he was greeted with emptiness. All the hallways were devoid of any life, making the young man frown. ''Is the gym leader even present?''

''Melo mel!'' his petite legendary reassured him while she nodded her head. She easily had sensed the powerful psychic presence far inside the gym, and she knew the gym leader had sensed her too. There was no point in staying hidden, so she was visible at the moment.

''Okay,'' Ash responded brightly. ''Lead the way, Meloetta!''

She winked, blew him a kiss and floated lazily forwards to the hallway in the middle. Ash, Pikachu and Sylveon followed close behind. ''I wonder what this gym leader will be like,'' the raven haired trainer muttered.

''Pika,'' his electric rodent agreed. From the looks of the place, he imagined her to be pretty scary. An involuntary shiver was already running through his spine.

Sylveon, however, was looking her eyes out. With child-like innocence, she eyed the place up and down. ''Wow,'' she breathed out in awe. ''Spooky!''

''Tell me about it, pipsqueak,'' Pikachu responded, his senses heightened for any possible danger, even though he knew nothing was going to happen. ''I don't like places like this at all.''

''Come now,'' Meloetta chirped, ''don't tell me you're actually scared, Pikachu.''

Pikachu huffed and crossed his arms. ''Of course I'm not! No way. You don't really think I get jumpy from something so silly as a gy—''

''Boo!'' Sylveon interrupted him suddenly, startling Pikachu who let out a loud yelp.

Immediately, both Meloetta and Sylveon burst out in laughter, while Ash chuckled along joyfully.

''I'm so sorry, uncle Pika,'' Sylveon laughed, ''I just couldn't resist.''

''You should've seen your face,'' Meloetta giggled. ''Priceless.''

''Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,'' Pikachu grumbled. ''You got me, squirt. I'll get you back for that one.'' He smirked and rubbed her head playfully.

The fairy-type giggled at the touch and gave him an apologetic nuzzle in return.

''Right, so if you guys are done teasing each other,'' Ash interrupted gently, ''we've arrived.''

In front of them was a big battlefield, while the room itself was almost styled like a temple. In the far back was a throne-like chair; only a child was visible sitting on it.

''Hello,'' Ash greeted respectfully. ''I'm here to challenge you to an official battle for the Marsh badge.''

The little girl's eyes glowed red, and she giggled creepily. ''I've been expecting you, Ash Ketchum, blessed one by Ho-oh.''

''Huh? How do you know my name? Have we met before?'' Ash questioned, perplexed that she knew these things about him.

''Meloetta, melo mel!'' the sweet legendary explained to her trainer.

''Huh? You mean to say this girl is psychic? That's why she knows so much about me?''

Meloetta nodded.

The doll giggled again and stood up from her throne, revealing a bigger girl who was holding her. ''It's true. I'm psychic. My name's Sabrina,'' she told matter of factly. ''And you are Ash. The kid I've heard so much about. You have a Meloetta. A pokemon who has incredible psychic powers.''

''That's correct, and this is Pikachu, my starter pokemon, and Sylveon, my recently evolved Eevee,'' Ash responded proudly.

''I see. They are not psychic. You do not possess telekinesis either,'' she replied monotonously. Sabrina floated towards the battlefield in a dull way, almost if she was bored.

''True. Is that necessary to challenge you?'' Ash joked.

''You do not deserve Meloetta.'' She completely ignored Ash's question and proclaimed her harsh opinion like it was a fact.

''Okay. Are we going to battle now?''

Sabrina paused for a moment. She didn't expect such a calm response. She glared at Ash and her eyes turned as red as her doll's eyes. ''Didn't you listen, child? You do not have the capabilities to train and command such a powerful psychic type.''

The raven haired trainer shrugged his shoulders. ''Maybe not. The fact remains she chose me and became my pokemon. It was her decision. Besides, I'd say she's happier than she's ever been in her life since she joined me.''

Meloetta cooed in agreement, nuzzling her trainer lovingly before giving him a gentle kiss on his cheek.

''Show me. I accept your challenge if you battle with Meloetta. Show me your happiness as trainer and pokemon. A one on one battle.''

Ash nodded in agreement and took his spot on the battlefield. ''Meloetta, I choose you!''

She took the spotlight all too eagerly. With a happy cry of her name, she was ready to battle whatever Sabrina was going to send out.

''Go get them, auntie!'' Sylveon cheered.

''This on is yours, easy,'' Pikachu stated convincingly.

The doll's grin was now turned into a frown as she threw the pokeball for Sabrina on the field. ''Come out, Abra.''

The psychic pokemon appeared on the field, still fast asleep. Ash didn't even question it anymore. Sabrina was odd. He had heard the stories from random people in Saffron. Still, he was also told she was a lot stronger than the previous gyms he'd faced. So he didn't take any risks.

''Okay, Meloetta. Use Hyper Voice!'' Ash suggested.

She complied and opened her mouth to unleash her devastating attack. The sound waves traveled at Abra at supersonic speeds. However, Sabrina just gave small grin. Her eyes glowed red, and in turn, Abra's eyes did too. Before the attack could hit, he teleported safely behind Meloetta.

Now that he was awake, Abra was standing instead of sitting, making him look a lot more imposing than he originally did. Ash gritted his teeth at the Abra's speed.

''Foolish child,'' Sabrina exclaimed. A blue glow began to envelop her body. Before Ash knew what was happening, Abra began to glow brightly. When the light died down, the evolved form of the psychic pokemon, Kadabra, was standing in his place.

''No way, he evolved?'' Ash sputtered. He'd never seen a pokemon evolve while still in battle.

Meloetta was mildly surprised herself, but she didn't let this deter her. In fact, it only boosted her spirit.

''Kadabra, Psychic,'' Sabrina commanded dully. Her eyes glowed red again, and Kadabra copied the action before lifting a spoon, confident to let this small legendary dance under his will like a puppet.

However, nothing happened. Frowning, Kadabra put more psychic pressure on Meloetta, but still she didn't move an inch.

''Melo melo,'' she scolded playfully, wagging her finger at the shocked psychic-type. The attack did hurt her a little, but it was not nearly enough that she couldn't repel it with her own psychic.

''Sabrina, you didn't really expect that would work, did you?'' Ash asked. ''Now Meloetta, show her a real Psychic!''

''Mel!'' she cried sweetly in agreement. Before Kadabra could react, his whole body was put under an enormous pressure. It was so agonizing that he couldn't even think straight anymore; teleporting himself was entirely out of the question.

With a flick of her wrist, Kadabra was thrown against a wall, before Meloetta repeated the action multiple times. Like he was a ragdoll, he was continuously smashed against the wall, actually cracking it under the sheer strength that was behind Meloetta's attack.

When she was satisfied Kadabra wasn't able to battle any longer, she threw him in the direction of Sabrina, where he smashed into the floor with a loud thud, not getting up.

Sabrina didn't say anything for the longest of time; surely it was clear that Kadabra was down and out.

''I refuse to lose,'' she stated with a hint of irritation. Her body was enveloped in that same blue hue again, while her eyes glowed as red as the harvest moon. Immediately, her Kadabra responded and stood up, controlled like a lifeless doll to do her bidding.

Ash, Pikachu, Sylveon and Meloetta all looked at her like she had lost her mind. ''Sabrina, the battle is over. Kadabra is unable to battle. Stop what you're doing right now,'' Ash responded harshly.

However, she didn't listen. She moved Kadabra's body forward in a desperate attempt to damage Meloetta.

''This girl is completely out of her mind,'' Pikachu exclaimed incredulously.

''Daddy, auntie, stop her! She's hurting the poor Kadabra,'' Sylveon pleaded.

Sabrina's lips moved upwards into the faintest of smirks. ''Official league rules state that you have to battle until your opponent isn't moving anymore. Attack me, you'll be disqualified. Use your Pikachu or Sylveon, you'll be disqualified.''

Sabrina was now almost giggling with how clever she thought she was, yet the raven haired trainer merely snorted.

''You think you've got me cornered now, Sabrina?'' Ash responded, obviously annoyed with her childish, but also very dark behavior. ''Meloetta, stop the psychic pressure on Kadabra.''

This time, Sabrina actually gasped. There was no way she could beat this legendary when it came to telekinetic prowess. She was utterly outclassed. With a sudden yank, her psychic hold on Kadabra was canceled with ease, making him slump to the ground once more.

Ash perked a brow. ''Well?''

''... Fine. You win. Take this badge,'' Sabrina replied in a bored tone, throwing the item in question haphazardly in Ash's direction.

He was so stunned at her behavior that he didn't even do his victory pose when Meloetta handed him his fourth badge after she had picked it up for him. ''Thank you, I guess,'' he muttered unsurely.

When Sabrina refused to reply, Ash saw this as his cue to leave the battlefield. Wordlessly, he left the gym with mixed feelings. ''Well, at least we're another step closer to the Indigo League, right guys?''

His pokemon all gave a cheerful cry in response. They were halfway there; only four more gyms to go.

* * *

When Sabrina was sure Ash had left her gym entirely, her monotone face gave away for a happy giggle, followed by a feminine squeal. ''I battled Ash!'' she sang happily, kicking her legs in the air in pure joy when she sat down. ''He was so cool how he commanded Meloetta! They have so much synergy together!''

She giggled again, bouncing up and down in her seat like a little schoolgirl. 'He was handsome too, standing up to me and shutting me down so easily when I crossed the line,' she thought afterwards, a blush forming on her cheeks.

'Yup, Ash. I'll be cheering for you all the way.'

* * *

 **So that concludes Ash's battle against Sabrina. Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! It makes me very happy :D Next chapter will be Ash in Lavender town! Until next time ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	18. A little brother

**Welcome back to the newest chapter, folks. Enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, places like Lavender Town would get more screen time in the anime.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

In the pokemon center of Lavender Town, Ash, Pikachu, Meloetta and Sylveon were all watching with awe at the faintly glowing egg they received in Cerulean.

''It's almost hatching, isn't it?'' the raven haired trainer whispered, excitement practically oozing from his lips. He'd wondered almost non-stop what pokemon could be inside, and now, he was about to find out very soon.

''Melo!'' His legendary pokemon replied affirmatively. She was pretty curious herself, sitting on Ash's shoulder as she watched with bated breath how the egg twitched and glowed brighter ever so slightly. This was the first time she would see an egg hatch, so this was a new experience for her as well.

''You excited, squirt?'' Pikachu quipped with a small chuckle. The young Sylveon had her snout literally against the egg, her bright smile unwavering while she watched with astonishment in her eyes how the few first cracks appeared on the shell.

''Uh-huh! My little brother is about to be born. I wanna wrap him in a big, soft hug and give him all the love in the world and tell him how happy I am to be his sister!'' Sylveon squeaked. Her tail wagged happily in the air while her feelers were dancing all around the egg like she was caressing it.

''Oh, hun,'' Meloetta cooed. She had clasped her hands together at the adorable scene while nuzzling Ash's cheek softly. ''Your little brother is very lucky to have a big sister like you.''

Sylveon giggled, her eyes turning big like saucers when more cracks emerged on the shell while the egg started to wiggle more strongly.

''It's hatching! It's hatching!'' Sylveon sang cheerfully.

Pikachu looked on in amazement how the light enveloped the egg fully. He had never seen an egg hatching before either, so it surprised him how awesome it was when it happened right in front of him.

Ash gasped, holding his breath and waiting for the sharp light to die down. When it did, and he opened his eyes to look, a very adorable water-type pokemon was in the egg's place, looking around in confusion.

His body was almost round, with a white belly. Two very cute, round ears adorned the top of his head, while the insides of said ears were red. He had two short arms, while his legs were equally as short. His zigzagging tail ended in a round, bubble-like ball. His beady eyes were filled with innocence, while he gave a cute cry of his name when he was done checking out his surroundings.

''Marill!''

Instantly, Sylveon squealed in happiness, gently wrapping her feelers around the newly hatched water and fairy-type and giving him a warm hug.

''Hi, Marill!'' she squeaked, unable to keep her emotions in check. ''I'm Sylveon, your big sis!''

Marill giggled at the ticklish fur on his own, enjoying the warm embrace of the fairy-type. ''You're my big sis?'' he asked innocently.

''Yes! And this is uncle Pika and auntie Melly,'' she introduced.

''Hey there, lil' man.'' Pikachu waved and gave him a sweet hug of his own, which the Aqua Mouse pokemon eagerly accepted and reciprocated.

Meanwhile, the psychic legendary had the biggest smile on her face; seeing Sylveon and Pikachu so happily hugging their newest family member made her heart ache with love. ''Aren't you the most adorable little pokemon?'' Meloetta chirped. She wrapped Marill in a big hug next, softly kissing him on his cheek. ''There's someone I want you to meet, sweetums.''

''Who?'' he asked, his beady eyes staring back at her in curiosity. He hadn't seen Ash yet, who had watched the scene silently and with a big smile. Slowly, she turned him around, until he was staring straight into the brown eyes of the raven haired trainer.

''Marill, I want you to meet your daddy,'' she spoke sweetly.

For a moment, Marill's face was that of pure awe, until he let out a joyous cry.

''Daddy!'' he happily exclaimed, leaping into the arms of Ash, who giggled as he held his new pokemon close.

''Hey, Marill. I'll be your trainer from now on. We'll take good care of you and I promise to make you very strong, so let's do our best, okay?''

''Marill!'' he agreed wholeheartedly.

Meloetta smiled emotionally at the scene. Ash was such a sweet guy; it made her heart flutter and butterflies erupt into her stomach. She loved the raven haired trainer dearly, and so, when he had put Marill down, she couldn't help but show him how much exactly.

''Congratulations, Ash,'' she spoke lovingly, knowing fully well he would get the gist of what she said. In one delicate motion, she had planted her lips on his own in a deep, intimate kiss, not caring if anybody saw them. She loved his startled reaction; caressing his cheeks as he slowly melted in her embrace.

When she moved back, both Marill and Sylveon were looking at them obliviously; their young age contributing to their innocence and the fact that they had no idea how bold Meloetta had just behaved. Pikachu however, was flustered all over. That wasn't something chaste like she normally would do, like a peck on the lips. No, this was passionate, and with a lot of emotion behind it.

Meanwhile, Ash wasn't faring any better. He was a stuttering mess, a fiery red blush adorning his cheeks. He could still taste her, her sweet cry that brought him out of his stupor afterwards making his cheeks burn even brighter.

''Meloetta? Did you just—'' he stuttered cutely, unable to comprehend what just happened.

''Meeel?'' she answered back innocently, her body swaying from side to side like she didn't know what he was talking about.

This cheeky pokemon knew exactly how to press all of his buttons. Ash couldn't help but chuckle when his senses returned to him. He gave her a loving, gentle kiss in return.

''Thank you.''

She giggled, her rosy cheeks making her the most adorable thing Ash had ever seen. The raven haired trainer smiled, and then turned his attention to his other pokemon.

''What do you guys say we give Marill a quick check-up with the nurse to see if he's all healthy?''

His pokemon's happy cries in agreement was the answer he got.

* * *

Pikachu gave a sigh of relief; the water and fairy-type was finally asleep. After Marill's check-up—which went without a hitch as he was completely healthy—Ash decided to train his Dragonite's power output in a remote part of the forest. Since he didn't have a pokeball for his Aqua Mouse pokemon yet, and since he didn't want to scare him with Dragonite's massive attacks, he opted to leave him at the pokemon center until he had returned.

This meant that somebody had to babysit him. While Meloetta would've been the perfect candidate, Ash needed a fail check to make sure Dragonite didn't destroy the whole forest, or accidentally hurt wild pokemon. That left Sylveon or Pikachu, and while the fairy-type desperately wanted to babysit her little brother, Ash realized that wouldn't be very responsible.

Naturally, that meant Pikachu had no choice but to do the job. He didn't particularly mind, because Marill was simply adorable, but he was pretty active as well. As such, he asked for a lot of attention and made sure Pikachu had to play along with his silly games. His nature was probably adamant, because no matter how hard the electric rodent tried, Marill somehow always managed to get him to play along.

'Thank the heavens he's finally asleep,' Pikachu thought, grabbing a ketchup bottle Ash had left him as his reward. 'That lil' guy has more energy than Sylveon on sugar.'

Idly licking the bottle, Pikachu reflected on his travels with Ash so far. 'I can't believe it's been five months since I met him and Meloetta already. It almost feels like yesterday.'

He smiled fondly at the memories. 'Ash is such a level-headed guy, though I guess I can thank Meloetta for that. She's his anchor if I ever saw one. Yet sometimes, it feels like Meloetta needs Ash more than the other way around,' he thought.

'Meloetta. She's strong, smart, cute and very affectionate, while Ash is kind, brave, eager and passionate. It's no wonder that these two attract each other,' Pikachu concluded. 'She's very easy to tease, too,' he added with a small smirk.

'Then my favourite pipsqueak joined the gang. I have never seen such a strong-willed pokemon before. She's frighteningly quick and powerful when she wants to be, though since she evolved, she traded a lot of that speed for special defense. I love her like she's my own daughter, though. I bet Meloetta does too,' Pikachu thought.

'Dragonite is such a kind soul. He acts all tough, wise and mighty, but in reality, he's a big softie with a heart of gold. I wouldn't be surprised if he's apologizing profusely to Ash right now for almost obliterating half of the forest.' Pikachu chuckled.

'As for me, I've gotten slimmer, faster and stronger. I learn new things every day I travel with Ash. He's my good friend that I wouldn't trade in for anything in the world.'

Pikachu paused for a moment, clarity hitting him like a ton of bricks.

'He's more than that. He's my family. Meloetta, Sylveon and Dragonite; they're all my family.'

He couldn't help but feel his eyes beginning to water at how much he loved his trainer, Meloetta, Sylveon and Dragonite; his family. A family that kept on expanding.

'And now, Marill has been adopted into our cozy little family,' he sniffled.

''You're lucky, sprout,'' Pikachu whispered while putting his ketchup bottle away, checking if Marill was still sleeping. ''You'll be getting so much love you wouldn't know what to do with—''

Pikachu stopped his sentence, his eyes widening in horror. Marill's bed was empty. ''H-hey, sprout? Where are you? This isn't funny, okay? Come on out!''

The electric rodent looked around in panic, but the only reply he got was the howling of the wind. ''Oh no.'' He cursed himself when he spotted the open window. How could he not have noticed the wind bristling his fur? Did it lull him in a nostalgic slumber when he was reminiscing about all these good memories? How did Marill escape his superior sense of smell and hearing while he wasn't even sleeping six feet behind him? Pikachu was mentally scolding himself over and over again.

''Oh crap, this is bad. I'm so dead if Ash finds out. I need to get him back before something happens to him!''

He sprinted towards the open window, hoping to find any trace of the water and fairy-type. What he saw made him gulp audibly. Right in front of him, was the pokemon tower, the one to be rumored to be haunted. Ghost pokemon had taken their residence inside; it was the one place Pikachu vowed to stay far away from.

His eyes threatened to almost fall out of his skull when he saw a small blue pokemon in the far distance walking to the entrance of the tower. ''Oh no... no, no, no, no, no, no! Oh shit, oh crap,'' he cursed. ''Marill!'' Pikachu screamed. The pokemon didn't hear him.

'Quick, you dolt! Get after him before it's too late!' he thought, full on adrenaline as he was. He did not want to find out what would happen to a pokemon who wasn't even a day old entering a tower like this all by himself.

Pikachu's Quick Attack activated in the next instant. at full speed, he ran to the tower to intercept the young Aqua Mouse pokemon. ''Marill!'' he yelled again.

However, it was already too late. When he arrived at the gate, Marill was already inside. With a shivering spine, Pikachu looked at the ominous tower. 'All right, Pikachu. You've got no choice now. Be brave for once, face your fears and get your little nephew back,' he encouraged himself.

With a nod, he evened his breathing, tried to suppress his growing nerves, and slowly opened the creaking door.

* * *

 **There you have it, people! A Marill was inside the egg. And now, that Marill is inside the pokemon tower! XD Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review, please. Next chapter the conclusion in Lavender Town. Until next time. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	19. Pikachu alone

**Chapter nineteen is here! Enjoy some ghostly shenanigans, people. ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ash would have pokemon types of every kind.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

When Pikachu opened the large, creaking door of the tower, a layer of dust flew in the air, making his nose itch. The place smelled moldy, like it hadn't seen sunlight in decades. It was noticeably colder inside as well; the wind howling through all the cracks probably playing a role in that regard. The main room, surprisingly, was very clean besides the unhealthy coat of dust that lingered the floor.

Pokemon tower was just as Pikachu had expected, though; it scared him to death. No electricity meant limited sight. Of course, he could always create some himself, but there was no way he was going to waste his precious energy on something mundane like that.

''Marill? Are you here, sprout?'' Pikachu called loudly. The hallways echoed his voice further into the tower, but no response came. The place was deserted, but the electric rodent knew better than that. He had no choice but to go in further. Carefully, he watched his steps, warily eyeing his surroundings as if somebody was about to jump him at any second.

''I swear, if something happened to that sprout, these ghost better take my soul. It could never be worse than what Meloetta has planned for me,'' he muttered.

A shiver went up Pikachu's spine when he heard faint giggling in the distance, making him gasp audibly; all his senses were on high alert in an instant. ''I take that back, I rather face Meloetta's wrath. At least it'll be swift.''

Walking further into the tower, he soon noticed his mind was playing tricks on him. Images of Marill appearing in front of him while he wasn't even there, ghostly voices making his fur stand on end, and kitchen utensils clanking harshly together before falling on the ground making him very anxious.

''Wait,'' Pikachu told himself. ''Those kitchen utensils are not a fiber of my imagination,'' he realized. Not far from him, a door led to a dining room, which oddly emitted light. Probably candles that somebody lit.

''Marill? Are you there?'' Pikachu called cautiously, inching closer to the dining room. Another loud crash was his answer; something made out of glass shattering on the cold, hard floor in a million pieces. The electric rodent almost jumped out of his skin, but calmed his growing nerves considerably quick afterwards. Gently, he pried open the door, ready for whatever was on the other side.

Electricity danced from his cheek pouches, a scowl on his face as he eyed the cozy dining room carefully; it was a stark contrast from the rest of the tower. To his surprise and amazement, a large table was neatly covered with a fine cloth. On top of it was the finest cutlery and plates he had ever seen. Fresh food, still boiling hot, wafted their enticing aromas through the room while the flames of the candles danced and licked at the wax, creating heat and a very lovely view.

''What is all of this?'' Pikachu questioned. This was a very odd sight. It was like the place expected guests and was ready to serve them all, only there was nobody. Pikachu couldn't even spot the broken items that shattered on the ground just a moment ago; the floor was as clean as Ash's home.

''What is all of this, indeed,'' a mischievous voice spoke up in a ghostly tone. He giggled, making Pikachu narrow his eyes.

''Who are you?'' the electric mouse questioned, looking around the empty room to spot the owner of the voice, without much success.

''Me?'' The voice laughed, revealing his ghostly features as he floated through the floor in front of him. The Haunter grinned. ''I'm one of the ghost residents of pokemon tower.''

Pikachu was very vigilant. Ghost pokemon were known for pulling tricks. He had no intentions of getting into any trouble.

''Listen, Haunter. I'm looking for somebody right now. If there's something you need from me, it'll have to wait.''

Pikachu was about to ignore the ghost pokemon by turning his back to him, but the Haunter laughed obnoxiously and floated after him. ''Oh, you lost somebody? Don't tell me,'' he paused for dramatic effect, ''It's your little nephew who just hatched today?''

Immediately, Pikachu turned around abruptly, his eyes staring daggers at the ghost. ''Where's Marill?'' he spat venomously.

''Ah, I see I have your attention now. Don't worry, he's fine. _The poor pokemon got lost and knocked on our door for shelter_ ,'' Haunter told Pikachu in an exaggeratingly, sad voice, wiping his nose. ''What unresponsible _adult_ could leave such a tyke unattended in the cold night of Lavender? It's horrendous!'' He laughed again; a laugh that had Pikachu growling and gritting his teeth.

''Stop playing games with me! Tell me where he is or else I have to resort to violence.''

Haunter tsk'ed. ''All right, fine. Look, I would love to tell you where he is. But, you know, that'd be boring. You lost him, so now you have to earn him back by playing a little game with me.''

Pikachu gave a dark scowl. ''Are you deaf? Didn't you just hear what I said? You've got exactly five seconds to hand him over!'' he replied dead serious.

However, the ghost pokemon flat out ignored the electric rodent's last statement with a mischievous glint in his eyes. ''Riddle me this, Pikachu. I can be the sun, I can be sand, and I can also be a bird. What am I?''

Before Pikachu could zap him with his Thundershock, the Haunter disappeared, his ghostly laugh echoing through the room.

''Get back here, Haunter!'' Pikachu roared, his patience having run thin. However, no answer came. He was stuck with a stupid riddle he didn't even know would help him in his endeavor to get Marill back. Moreover, he realized to his horror that he was stuck inside this dining room too. The door he came through didn't budge in the slightest. He was utterly trapped.

''Oh Arceus, I'm so screwed!''

* * *

Twenty minutes had passed. Pikachu started to grow very worried for Marill's safety. He was wracking his brain for the correct answer, but so far, he had no luck. He deduced the answer had to be somewhere in this room, but the problem was that it was a big dining room, full of items. Searching the place would take him hours. And he had no idea what he was looking for in the first place.

'Good grief. What can be the sun, sand and a bird, all at the same time? Think, Pikachu, think!' he thought while twiddling with his tail. 'Is it something on the table?'  
He looked at all the food, ready to be eaten. He hadn't taken anything of it yet, though. Pikachu wasn't a fool. Still, it was unlikely the answer was something edible.

'Maybe it's glass? Glass is made of sand, and you can make a bird and a sun out of glass. That must be it!'

Pikachu walked forward and grabbed one of the glasses filled with wine. ''Are you glass?'' he answered.

The next moment, the glass shattered in his paw, spilling wine everywhere. Pikachu cursed loudly. He was quite startled, and to be honest, pretty pissed off.

''You think is funny, Haunter?'' he screamed. ''When I get my paws on you—''

The electric rodent sighed loudly; getting mad now didn't accomplish anything. A big clock in the back was slowly ticking, showing Pikachu it was getting pretty late.

He twitched his ears every time the sound reached his ears, annoyed with the constant ticking. ''Ash could be back at any moment now. Why does this stupid clock have to mock me so much?''

It was then, that Pikachu got a moment of clarity. With wide eyes, he approached the large, wooden clock. ''Are... are you a clock?''

The clock stopped ticking. For a moment, nothing happened, until the clock creaked loudly and opened slowly. Inside, Marill was sleeping peacefully, unaware of what was going on.

''Oh, thank goodness, Marill!''

Pikachu released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Gently, he held the small Aqua Mouse pokemon in his paws. ''Don't worry, sprout. I'm getting you out of here.''

''Congratulations, Pikachu,'' Haunter praised, appearing behind him. ''I knew you would—''

The cheeky ghost couldn't end his sentence. Pikachu had more than enough. With a focus that would put a Kadabra to shame, he hardened his tail to steel like proportions, and slammed it forcefully against the Haunter's cheek, sending him flying through the room until he crashed against the dinner table, spilling plates of food and glassware everywhere.

Wordlessly, Pikachu left the room with Marill, getting his message across loud and clear. It was obvious that Haunter had hypnotized his newly hatched nephew and lead him to Pokemon tower just to mess with him. 'Serves him right,' Pikachu thought.

''We're back!'' Ash called out joyfully.

''Pika!'' his starter pokemon greeted, giving his trainer a hug and a nuzzle.

''Hi, Pikachu!'' Ash laughed. ''Did everything go okay? How's Marill?''

The electric rodent nodded his head and beckoned the raven haired trainer over to the bed where the Aqua Mouse pokemon was currently sleeping in.

''Aw, look at him. You did great, Pikachu! I'll make sure to reward you with another ketchup bottle for your hard work.''

''Cha!''

Meloetta giggled at the scene. She flew over to Pikachu, and gratefully kissed him on his cheek. ''Thank you,'' she said honestly. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

With a faint blush, Pikachu nodded his head. ''It was no trouble.''

Sylveon, in the meantime, was watching Marill with excitement. ''When's Dragonite going to meet my little brother?''

''The next time when Ash is going to use Dragonite, sweetie,'' Meloetta promised. ''That shouldn't be long. Both need to train. We still have a long way to go with Dragonite, too. He's improving, but it's going to take a while before he has his power output in control fully.''

''But I can play with Marill tomorrow, right?''

Pikachu chuckled. ''All that you like, squirt. All that you like.''

''Yay! I'm so happy. Tomorrow is going to be the best day ever!''

* * *

 **So there we have it! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review, please. I read and reply to every single one of them! Next chapter, Marill's training and first battle. Until next time. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	20. Training Marill

**Here's another chapter for y'all. Enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. If I did, I wouldn't have to put this disclaimer on every single chapter that I write.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

On the road to Celadon City for his fifth gym battle, Ash was training his newly hatched water-type. ''One more time, Marill. Use Tackle, with everything that you got!'' the raven haired trainer encouraged.

The little Aqua Mouse pokemon nodded his head. With a mighty cry of his name, he charged Pikachu with full speed. However, just as he was about to hit Pikachu, his attack lost its strength, and he bounced harmlessly off of the electric-type.

Ash sighed internally. This had been going on for a couple of days now. No matter what he tried, Marill never seemed to execute a move correctly. Even Meloetta was running out of ideas.

''I'm sorry, daddy,'' Marill apologized sadly while sniveling. ''I don't know what I'm doing wrong.''

Sylveon hugged her little brother close, consoling him in her warm embrace. ''Don't be sad. I know you'll get it eventually; daddy knows so too,'' she cooed.

''You really think so, big sis?'' he replied innocently, his beady eyes looking with disbelief at the fairy-type.

''Of course I do! Daddy made me stronger as well. You'll be a powerful Azumarill before you know it!''

Marill looked at Ash for confirmation, who gave him a big smile. ''You've trained hard today, Marill. Why don't we take a rest and try it again tomorrow?''

He nodded his head, a big smile quickly appearing on his features. ''Does that mean I can play with Uncle Pika now?''

Meloetta giggled at the exasperated look of Pikachu. ''Why don't you go play with Uncle Pika as well, Sylveon? Ash and I have some things to talk about.''

''We're going to play?'' she asked Pikachu excitedly, her tail wagging behind her.

Pikachu gave Meloetta a murderous look, while she blew him a raspberry. ''Sure, squirt. What did you have in mind?''

''Hide and seek! We have to hide, and you have to find us, Uncle Pika!''

Pikachu chuckled and looked at Marill. ''Are you okay with that too, sprout?''

''Yay, hide and seek!'' he cheered.

''Okay! Well, I'll give you sixty seconds, and then I'm going after you guys. One, two, three...''

''That's not fair, we were not ready yet!'' Sylveon giggled.

''You better hurry up then,'' Pikachu sang teasingly.

He didn't have to say it twice. The two pokemon quickly wandered off, leaving Ash with only Meloetta and Pikachu.

''Honestly guys. I don't know anymore,'' Ash admitted. ''Does Marill's attack fail because he's afraid to hurt you, Pikachu?''

''Pika pi.'' He shook his head. Meloetta had to agree. She didn't sense any form of hesitation either. The attack just stops every time the moment Marill is about to hit his target.

''Maybe I'm tackling this the wrong way. Sylveon never had this problem. Am I doing anything different?''

''Melo,'' she reassured. ''Meloetta mel.''

''So it's because Marill's different than Sylveon, huh? I have to find out how I can trigger Marill then, but how?''

Ash sat down on the soft grass below, deep in thought. He really wanted to train Marill in order for him to grow stronger, but he had no idea how to approach the situation.

''Melo,'' his legendary said, taking his cheeks in her hands and softly kissing him on the lips.

''Thanks, Meloetta. I know I shouldn't worry so much. We'll find a solution.''

Pikachu rolled his eyes at the love-struck duo. ''Well, while you two Pidoves are being all sappy, I'm going to see if I can find myself a Sylveon and Marill.''

Meloetta stifled a giggle. ''Just wait when you have a girlfriend, Pikachu. You'll be just as sappy.''

''I doubt it, but we'll see.'' He smirked, waved them goodbye and with a Quick Attack, he was gone.

Now it was only Meloetta and Ash who were left. With a faint blush and while biting her lower lip, she wiggled herself seductively on top of Ash's lap, deeply staring into his eyes.

''Mel,'' she whispered, softly pressing her lips on his again.

Ash simply melted in her kiss, her affection greatly appreciated. Meloetta was like a delicate flower; he was afraid she would bend and break the moment he wasn't treating her with the utmost care, that's how gentle he was kissing her back. He loved how much passion she poured into the action; how her soft, cherry lips brushed his with so much eagerness. She made him feel like only he mattered in the whole world.

For Meloetta at the moment, Ash truly was the only thing that mattered. It was quite some time since they had gotten some quality time alone, and the petite legendary was sure to enjoy every second of it.

Sometime later; Meloetta was still passionately making out with Ash, until her psychic senses warned her that somebody was coming their way. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss with an annoyed huff.

''What's wrong, Meloetta? Is somebody coming?''

She nodded her head, her annoyance soon disappearing when she recognized the humans who were approaching. Her face brightened considerably, and she helped Ash to his feet. ''Mel mel Meloetta!''

''Wait, are you sure?'' Ash asked.

She didn't even need to respond. When Ash heard the voices in the far distance, he recognized them too. A big smile formed on his lips. Patiently, he waited for the voices to come closer.

Ash waved enthusiastically when the two humans were able to see him, and both waved back just as eagerly.

''Brock! Misty!''

''Hey Ash! What a coincidence that we run into you,'' Brock greeted the raven haired trainer when he was in front of him. The boys shook hands while Misty gave him a hug.

''Yeah, how have you guys been? What are you doing here?''

''We've been doing great, Ash. Thanks for asking.'' Misty replied sweetly. '' And as for why we're here. After our battle, Brock and I got inspired, and so we decided to travel with each other. There's so much more to experience than only our gym.''

''Wow, that's amazing! I'm taking you guys are heading to Saffron city then?''

''We are. We just got back from Celadon.'' Brock nodded. ''And it seems you're doing great with collecting badges. Word is going all around Kanto that a trainer with a legendary is tearing through all the gyms. I actually spoke to Erika, and she's preparing for you, Ash.''

Misty nodded. ''Meloetta is leaving quite the impact already, it seems.''

''Well, she has left quite the impact on me too,'' Ash replied shyly, rubbing his head in embarrassment.

Meloetta giggled and hugged Ash close, humming in contentment.

''Anyway, where's Pikachu and Eevee?'' Misty asked curiously.

''Oh, right! They're off playing with each other right now. By the way, Eevee has evolved into a Sylveon, and that egg I got from you hatched no too long ago as well.''

Misty beamed. ''That's so great, Ash. And a Sylveon, wow. Such an exotic pokemon.''

Brock nodded. ''Indeed. Eevee's fairy evolution is a very uncommon sight here in Kanto. I heard it's a gorgeous pokemon. Anyway, what hatched from the egg?''

''A Marill,'' Ash replied. '''He's very adorable, but Meloetta and I are having difficulties in training him.''

''Oh? What seems to be the problem?'' the Pewter City gym leader asked while rubbing his chin. ''Maybe I can help? After all, I'm a pokemon breeder.''

''I can help too,'' Misty chimed in. ''I'm a water-type expert. Helping your Marill will be a walk in the park for me.''

Ash's face turned into happy disbelief. ''Really? You guys would help me?''

''Of course!'' Misty replied sweetly, a faint blush reddening her cheeks. ''After all,'' she added, ''you helped me too, remember?''

''I do remember,'' Ash said. ''Then it's decided! Thank you guys so much, this means a ton to me!''

* * *

Later that day, when Pikachu, Sylveon and Marill had returned from playing hide and seek, Misty and Brock took it up them to give Ash pointers how to train Marill.  
For the raven haired trainer, this was all new information. Training such a young, delicate water-type took a lot more effort than he thought. At the end of the day, Marill was facing a boulder, preparing to use Tackle once more.

''Now remember what we said,'' Misty whispered in his ear, ''keep your head high, make yourself strong and charge.''

He nodded, watching how his daddy and Aunt Melly were rooting for him on the sidelines.

This time, he didn't give a loud cry of his name, but focused all his energy in his Tackle. In a few seconds, he had gathered the speed that he needed, and charged full force into the boulder, cracking it severely.

''Did I do good?''

Everybody was watching with stunned silence at the massive damage he'd done. ''Damn, that sprout packs a punch,'' Pikachu whispered to Meloetta.

Not long afterwards, Sylveon began to cheer. ''Yay, lil' brother did it. Hurray!''

''Marill, that was incredible!'' Ash shouted in disbelief. ''You're so strong!''

''No wonder,'' Brock muttered, ''he has the Huge Power ability.''

''What does that mean?'' Ash asked.

''It means that his attack stat is doubled, hence why physical attacks like Tackle will be doubled in power. With the right training, this Marill will be a force to be reckoned with.''

''Awesome! Did you hear that, Marill? You're going to be strongest water pokemon in all of Kanto! I'm going to make sure of it!''

''Marill!'' he cried out joyfully. Ash picked him up and nuzzled him close.

''Thanks a lot for all of your help, Brock and Misty. Without you guys, I'm sure I would still be struggling with Marill right now.''

Misty giggled. ''It was no problem, Ash.''

Brock patted Ash on the back. ''Well, it seems that our roads split here. Good luck against Erika, Ash. You'll need it. She's one feisty gym leader,'' Brock said, ''and she's beautiful too,'' he added, swooning as he thought about her. ''Oh, how I wish that gorgeous cherry blossom would bloom in the late summer sky as I—augh!''

He couldn't end his sentence as Misty began to drag him away in annoyance, pinching his ear as she did so.

Ash and Meloetta stifled a giggle as Misty scolded him, before she turned her attention back to Ash and gave him a sweet smile. ''I'll be cheering for you, Ash. Let's meet up at the Indigo league, okay? Bye!'' She blew him a kiss and winked, and with that, she and Brock resumed their trip to Saffron City.

''Mel,'' the petite legendary huffed, a hint of jealousy present in her voice.

''Aw, is little Melloeta jealous?'' Pikachu teased.

She puffed up her cheeks and blushed furiously. ''I'm not!'' she denied, crossing her arms.

The raven haired trainer chuckled and kissed Meloetta on her lips, surprising her for a second before she embraced it wholeheartedly. ''Misty may like me and she's cute, but she has nothing on you,'' Ash reassured her warmly.

Meloetta gasped, her eyes watery as she kissed Ash once more. And so, Ash and his pokemon resumed their journey to Celadon, confidence radiating from them for their fifth gym battle against Erika.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews motivate me a lot! I reply to all of them. :) Next chapter Ash vs Erika! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	21. Dynamic duo

**Chapter 21! Enjoy! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, an anime about the games would exist.**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

Celadon city was truly a sight to behold. Skyscrapers filled the place, a grand casino stood tall amongst the other buildings, and a very sweet scent wafted through the whole area.

''Perfume,'' Ash noted with a neutral face. He wasn't really fond of the stuff, as he thought it to be a waste of money, but one look at his pokemon told him they didn't share his opinion.

''It smells so sweet,'' Sylveon squeaked.

''I have to agree with you, pipsqueak. What do you think, sprout?'' Pikachu asked Marill.

''Perfume smells nice!'' he said excitedly.

Meloetta looked with pleading eyes at Ash, giving him her best puppy eyes she could muster while clasping her hands together. He knew what she wanted.

''Oh, all right. We can look where it's coming from and buy a bottle or two,'' Ash gave in. Meloetta beamed, and happily smooched him on the lips before leading the way, making the raven haired trainer smile broadly.

'There's no doubt about it. She's way too adorable,' he thought.

A little bit later, Ash was standing in front of the building where the sweet aromas were coming from. ''The pokemon gym?'' he questioned, genuinely surprised, but also pleased that he could probably hit two Pidgey with one stone now. He had no doubt that Erika manufactured the perfumes from her grass-type pokemon. It was actually pretty clever, now that Ash thought about it.

''Well, it looks like we can buy some at the gym, most likely. Shall we go in?'' Ash suggested.

Sylveon and Marill both cheered, already running inside while Pikachu and Meloetta giggled at their antics. The small legendary took a spot on Ash's left shoulder, while Pikachu was on his usual spot on the right. The raven haired trainer smiled at them. ''Are you guys ready?''

''Pika pika!''

''Melo!''

''That's what I like to hear. Let's get our fifth badge.''

Ash calmly strolled inside the gym with his pokemon. The first thing that he noticed when he entered, was the sweet scents increasing in intensity and hitting his olfactory like a truck. It was pretty overwhelming. Moreover, the whole gym was covered in grass, flowers and plants.

''Welcome, challenger!'' a feminine voice further inside the gym greeted. A kind looking young woman wearing a kimono was waiting patiently for Ash to approach. Sylveon and Marill were playing in a bed of flowers with each other, eyeing the colorfol flora with big, curious eyes.

''You must be Erika,'' Ash replied, getting excited for a battle. ''My name's Ash Ketchum from Pallet, and I challenge you for a Rainbow badge!''

The young woman gave a petite bow. ''The pleasure is all mine, Ash. I've heard a lot about you from Misty and Brock. I hereby eagerly accept your challenge.''

''Sorry about those two, by the way,'' Ash apologized, referring to Sylveon and Marill, who were still playing with each other and in turn destroying a couple of very beautiful flower beds.

Erika giggled. ''It's no trouble. My grass pokemon can restore them instantly, so don't worry about it,'' she said kindly. ''But,'' she went on, the glint in her eyes changing in that moment to something more competitive, ''what you should worry about is the battle against me in a moment. You may be a young trainer who just started out, but that's not how I'm going to treat you.''

She walked to her side of the grassy battlefield and explained the rules. ''I'm going to use my two strongest grass pokemon for this battle. Moreover, to make things more interesting, I request this will be a double battle. If you manage to win, I'll also give you a box of my finest perfumes for free.''

Ash looked at her incredulously. ''Are you serious?''

Erika nodded. ''I am. However, I should warn you. Nobody has defeated this duo of mine in well over a year. I hope you're prepared, Ash Ketchum. Legendary or not, I will defeat you!''

Ash grinned at Erika's devotion. This was going to be fun. ''All right! Let's do it then. Sylveon, Marill, come here for a sec.''

The two pokemon obediently went over to their trainer. Now that they were all together, they huddled close. ''Okay, this will be a very tough double battle. But, I'm certain that we can do it without using Meloetta. Sorry, sweetie,'' Ash apologized.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek to show him that she didn't mind. ''I'm not going to use Dragonite either for obvious reasons; there wouldn't be much left of Celadon, let alone the gym. Marill has a disadvantage and isn't ready for a gym battle yet, so that leaves my dynamic duo,'' Ash concluded.

''Yay! Uncle Pika, we're going to battle together!'' Sylveon cheered happily.

''We sure are, squirt,'' Pikachu replied, getting pumped up and ready. ''Let's do our best, like always.''

''Good luck, big sis, Uncle Pika!'' Marill cried while jumping up and down.

''Show Erika how amazing you guys are together!'' Meloetta said sweetly, taking her spot on Ash's shoulder again.

''Don't worry, guys. We'll win this for sure,'' Pikachu replied confidently. ''Ready, pipsqueak?''

''Ready when you are!''

Ash smiled and faced Erika. ''We're ready.''

She nodded and smiled. ''Okay then. This'll be an official double battle for the Rainbow badge. Let's begin!''

Erika threw two pokeballs in the air, which opened and revealed two grass pokemon Ash had never seen before. With awe and a quick scan of his pokedex, he learned they were a Leafeon and Lilligant respectively.

Both pokemon looked confident, but in a different way entirely. While Leafeon was pacing impatiently up and down, his sharp eyes scanning the area, Lilligant was just gently standing in one place; it was obvious to Ash what kind of role both pokemon played.

'Leafeon is the offensive pokemon, while Lilligant will play as the supporting pokemon. I have to get rid of Lilligant first. This'll be a perfect opportunity to show off the new attacks both Pikachu and Sylveon have learned.'

''Okay, Pikachu, Sylveon, I choose you!'' Ash shouted. Both pokemon took the field with a happy cry of their name. Their neutral stance gave nothing away of their strategy.

''Interesting. I've never battled a Sylveon before. Not using Meloetta today either, I see. Are my strongest pokemon not good enough for her? You better don't disappoint them now,'' Erika teased with a soft giggle, bowing slightly again. ''First move is yours, Ash.''

''Thank you, and they won't, you'll see! Sylveon, use Moonblast on Lilligant. Pikachu, Quick Attack on Lilligant, let's go!'' Ash commanded.

Erika's eyes narrowed. 'Ash knows what he's doing, immediately going for my healer. Luckily, I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve,' she thought.

''Leafeon, counter Pikachu with your Leaf Sword. Lilligant, use Quiver Dance!''

The grass eeveelution nodded; the green fur on his head grew into a large, glowing sword, and with a mighty cry, protected his team partner by swinging it towards the incoming electric-type.

Pikachu grunted on impact, but he smirked when he held his ground, much to the surprise of the Leafeon. ''Surprised?'' he taunted, ''I might be a small mouse, but I certainly don't lack in the power department.''

''Admirable,'' the much older Leafeon replied, nodding his respect with gritting teeth to his opponent.

At the same time, Sylveon was done preparing her attack; the lustrous orb shot out of her maw with incredible speed. ''Uncle, duck!''

Pikachu did as he was told, while Leafeon could only watch wide-eyed as the attack hit him square in the chest, exploding on impact and sending him flying.

''Great job Pikachu and Sylveon!'' Ash praised. ''Now go for an Iron Tail on Leafeon! Sylveon, Moon Blast on Lilligant again.''

Erika glanced between her downed Leafeon who quickly got up, and her Lilligant, who was still gently standing in the same spot. ''Leafeon, dodge that Iron Tail with your own Quick Attack, and then go for Sylveon. Lilligant, Quiver Dance once more.''

With ease, the grass eeveelution evaded Pikachu's Iron Tail, and with a sudden burst of speed, slammed into his fairy counter part, interrupting her attack. Sylveon cried out, startled by the immense force that had her sliding over a good part of the battle field.

Pikachu growled. ''Hey! Why don't you leave her alone?''

Leafeon ignored his opponent, and instead set chase to Quick Attack Sylveon again. ''Pikachu, protect Sylveon with your own Quick Attack!'' Ash shouted

''I'm on it, Ash!''

Pikachu intercepted Leafeon with stunning ease, his speed far greater than the grass eeveelution. Leafeon grunted, the force of Pikachu throwing him off and making him crash into a patch of flowers out of the battlefield. He gave Pikachu a respectful glance afterwards. ''Very admirable.''

Meanwhile, Lilligant was done setting up. Usually, she indeed played the supportive role; however, Erika noted how Ash immediately saw through that strategy, so she opted for something different to surprise him.

''Are you ready, Lilligant? Use Energy Ball on Sylveon!''

She nodded sweetly to her trainer in obedience. ''Apologies, dearie,'' she said in a kind tone to Sylveon before firing her attack.

''Pikachu, Iron Tail, quickly!'' Ash shouted in alarm. Pikachu responded immediately, hardening his tail and trying to intercept the immensely powerful attack. The Energy Ball clanked against his tail, and to Lilligant's amazement, Pikachu was holding his ground, struggling to steer the attack into another direction.

''Oh my. That's a strong Pikachu indeed,'' Lilligant complimented gently.

Erika, however, wasn't fazed at all. ''Leaf blade,'' she commanded simply. In the next moment, Pikachu was knocked away by Leafeon's attack, forcefully hitting a wall while Lilligant's Energy Ball freely continued its way to the stunned Sylveon. It exploded on impact, sending smoke everywhere.

''Pikachu! Sylveon!'' Ash called out worriedly.

''You see, Ash? My pokemon are too strong for your Pikachu and Sylveon. Forfeit now while you still can,'' she suggested.

The raven haired trainer smiled. ''That's where you're wrong, Erika. You underestimate them. If you think they're already done for, then think again.''

This time, Erika gasped. Both Pikachu and Sylveon were still standing, albeit bruised all over and panting, clearly weakened. ''Impossible. There's no way Pikachu should be standing right now after that Leaf Blade, let alone that Sylveon after taking an Energy Ball boosted by two Quiver Dances.''

''Oh my,'' Lilligant commented, amused.

''Admirable,'' Leafeon added.

Marill and Meloetta cheered loudly for Pikachu and Sylveon, who both snarled at their opponents.

''You dare lay a paw on my pipsqueak?'' Pikachu asked ominously, his cheeks burning with raw energy thanks to the electricity dancing off of it.

''You hurt my Uncle Pika,'' Sylveon whispered angrily, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks while her feelers danced around her like angry snakes.

''It's time,'' they said in union, ''to show you what kind of dynamic duo we really are!''

Ash grinned. ''Sylveon, use Wish! Pikachu, Discharge.''

Erika gasped. ''Don't let her get that Wish up. Attack Sylveon!''

Pikachu's Discharge attack was powerful enough to stop Leafeon in his tracks when he tried to Quick Attack the fairy-type. Lilligant, however, thanks to her boosts, shot another Energy Ball successfully to Sylveon.

''Now, Protect.''

This time, Sylveon was prepared; she put up her Protect, which shielded her completely from the attack. Her Wish came true afterwards, restoring her health.

Ash chuckled at Erika, who now slowly began to lose her cool. ''Sylveon, Wish again. Pikachu, Thunder Wave Lilligant.''

''Leafeon, stop Pikachu!'' Erika quickly shouted in panic.

The grass-type eeveelution obeyed and Quick Attacked Pikachu in the blink of an eye, but that's when he gasped; he felt static running all through his body the moment he made contact, paralyzing him to the bone.

''Like my ability? Static can be handy sometimes,'' Pikachu taunted with a smirk.

''Lilligant, do something!'' Erika screamed.

Lilligant, startled by her trainer's harsh command, quickly fired off another Energy Ball—this time at Pikachu—but Sylveon protected him with ease. Once more, her Wish came true, now restoring Pikachu's health.

''Play time is over,'' Pikachu said with a smirk.

* * *

The outcome, in the end, was inevitable, Erika knew. After Leafeon got paralyzed, he was easily picked off by both Pikachu and Sylveon. That only left her Lilligant, and while she had considerable boosts in special defense, special attack and speed, Pikachu's Iron Tail, combined with Sylveon's excellent defenses and healing factor, made it impossible for her to win. She fought bravely, but before long, she too went down.

'He didn't even need his legendary pokemon to defeat me,' she thought in astonishment as Ash was happily hugging his Pikachu and Sylveon after winning the match.

'You truly are a prodigy, Ash Ketchum.'

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews is what I love! Next chapter Team Rocket, people. Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	22. Team Rocket attacks

**Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter! As always, enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Pikachu wouldn't miraculously lose his powers at the beginning of a new region.**

''Meloetta'' speech

'Meloetta' thoughts

* * *

Outside of Celadon city, Ash and his pokemon were enjoying the sunny afternoon at a lake. After obtaining his fifth badge, he decided it was more than appropriate to reward his pokemon with some time off.

''I've got to admit, that perfume smells really nice on you,'' Ash complimented Meloetta, who was lying next to the raven haired trainer on the soft grass.

She chirped happily, a cute blush adorning her cheeks as she nestled closer to Ash.

Ash smiled, and put an arm around her petite body to pull her even closer. He sighed in contentment, watching how Pikachu, Sylveon and Marill were swimming and playing in the lake together.

''Mel mel,'' she stated happily.

''I agree with you; this _is_ very relaxing. Just what we needed,'' Ash responded.

Not far from them, Pikachu was making his way to the edge of the lake while watching the couple with a small smile. ''Hey, lazy pants!'' Pikachu called out to Ash jokingly. ''Get in the water, pronto. There are two very eager pokemon here calling for their daddy to join them.''

Ash looked at Sylveon and Marill, who were both crying their names happily and beckoning him over. ''well, I guess that's my cue. Are you coming with me, Meloetta?''

She shook her head. ''Melo mel, meloetta,'' she reassured, kindly ushering him to go without her.

''You really don't like swimming, huh?''

Meloetta shook her head again. She obviously didn't mind Ash having some fun without her, though. So with another cute cry of her name, she had him convinced.

''Well, okay. I'll be back in a bit. I promise.'' He kissed her lovingly, which she reciprocated all too eagerly. Once they parted, Ash smooched her on the lips once more, before taking off his shirt. He was already wearing his swimming trousers, so with a devious grin, he eyed Sylveon and Marill.''All right, here I come! Cannonball!'' Ash screamed while catapulting himself into the water.

A big splash followed, making both fairy-types cry with laughter.

''Daddy is here,'' Marill hollered, his water-typing blessing him with the ability to swim rather quickly; he was at his side in less than a second.

''Yay, daddy,'' Sylveon cheered. ''We're going to play together?''

''Of course we are!'' Ash replied. ''Pikachu, can you get the beach ball?''

''Sure!''

Not much later, the group was enjoying themselves, while Meloetta watched the spectacle with a sweet smile. 'Truly, father has blessed me with this family. Thank you, father; and thank you too, lady Ho-oh, for blessing my beloved Ash.'

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping that this feeling would last forever. Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other plans.

Her psychic senses alarmed her that something big was coming her way. She wanted to warn Ash, but before she could do that, two Team Rocket agents and a Meowth she knew all too well suddenly appeared on high tech hover boards in front of her, and they had brought the Armada.

A fleet of helicopters, at least a dozen of them, were filling the sky. The big letter R on the side of the machines instantly gave away which organization they belonged to, and why they were here.

''Hello there, Meloetta, and prepare for trouble,'' Jessie began.

''And this time, we're not alone, so make it double,'' James continued.

Meloetta growled, a very dark scowl overtaking her features as she watched these three baboons do their ridiculous motto. She didn't even let them finish; it was obvious they wanted to capture her. With a mighty cry, she unleashed a blast of her vast psychic powers into their direction.

However, to her shock, the hover boards emitted a barrier which reminded her all too much of Protect, which shielded the Rocket agents from any harm.

''Hey! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt when we're doing our motto?'' Jessie scolded.

''Indeed, there's no reason for any violence, Meloetta,'' James added.

''Besides, maybe it's better to focus on your little trainer instead of us. He may be in a bit of a pickle at the moment,'' Meowth snickered.

Without missing a beat, the petite legendary turned her head towards Ash, who of course, was pretty vulnerable in the lake. Her eyes flashed with anger when she saw two Team Rocket speedboats circling her trainer. Moreover, Pikachu and Sylveon had an incredible disadvantage; only Marill would be able to protect Ash at the moment.

''So here's the deal, Meloetta. We don't want to hurt any of you. If you promise to surrender now, we leave your trainer, Pikachu, Sylveon and Marill alone. How does that sound?''

She looked at the crooked Rocket grunts with a sly smile in return. ''Mel! Melo, meloetta!'' she yelled to her trainer.

''What did she say?'' Jessie inquired to Meowth.

''She said: 'Ash! Give them hell,' the normal-type responded with gritted teeth. ''So, you want to play hard to get, huh?''

''We figured you would choose this path,'' James exclaimed.

''Then we have no choice but to do it the old-fashioned way,'' Jessie stated. ''Grunts, prepare for battle!''

Immediately afterwards, a whole army of Team Rocket members dropped out of the helicopters with ropes. When they hit the ground, they unleashed their pokemon.

Meloetta cracked her neck at all of the different pokemon who were ready to take her down. 'This should be fun.'

Meanwhile, with Ash, he had heard Meloetta's cry loud and clear. He knew what she meant; using Dragonite was his only option at the moment, if he wanted to have any chance of winning.

''Marill, you have to get Dragonite's pokeball,'' he whispered to the young water-type.

''Don't worry, daddy. You can count on me!'' he responded. He dove underwater and swam away from the two speedboats.

''Just give up, boy,'' one of the Team Rocket grunts taunted. The two boats slowed down until they were idly floating on the surface of the water. ''If you give up Meloetta, we don't have to harm you.''

''You guys have no sense of dignity whatsoever, attacking me when I'm unable to do anything,'' Ash replied back, effectively angering some of the grunts.

''What did this little runt just say? Boy, you better shut your yap fast. We won't be so merciful if you keep on going like that.''

''I won't either,'' Ash responded harshly. ''When I have defeated all of you, a long time in jail will be your punishment; you'll be glad to be locked behind bars, because if I ever see your ugly faces again, chances are I won't be so considerate of your guys' well-being then.''

The grunts began to laugh hysterically. ''What are you going to do then, kid? Use your Marill for a sneak attack? We know he hatched not too long ago; your Pikachu can't use his electric attacks, and your Sylveon's Moon Blast will be easily countered by our Poison-types. Face it, we have you overpowered. Soon, Meloetta will be ours.''

A loud explosion in the sky had the goons silenced completely afterwards; Ash's petite legendary just had taken down one of the twelve helicopters. A smirk crossed on the raven haired trainer's face.

''I think you underestimated just how powerful Meloetta truly is. Besides,'' Ash added, his Marill having returned with Dragonite's pokeball, ''you didn't know I have a very powerful ace up my sleeve.''

He threw the pokeball as far away as possible, until it burst open in a shower of bright light. Ash's massive Dragonite appeared afterwards, which had the Rocket Grunts on the two speedboats quacking in their boots.

''You've got to be kidding me. The kid has an ancient pokemon! I didn't sign up for this,'' A grunt yelled.

''No way we can defeat that, commander!'' another grunt added.

Ash smiled. ''I give you guys a head start of a minute, starting now.''

The commander of the two speedboats went as pale as a ghost. ''Retreat! Get away from here!''

The two speedboats drove off as quickly as they came; only Ash had no intention of letting them go.

''Dragonite, Dragon Claw,'' he calmly replied.

The massive dragon nodded affirmatively, his massive claw having enough reach to get to the two fleeing speedboats. All of his training of keeping his power in check bore success, as his claws lightly scraped the back of both hulls, destroying them and making the speed boats sink.

At the same time, Jessie, James and Meowth obviously had noticed the big intruder as well. They knew they were losing very fast, Meloetta managing to destroy another helicopter. Fire and debris fell everywhere, and the goons cursed loudly.

''We have no choice but to use the special weapon,'' Jessie concluded. Both James and Meowth nodded. They had to capture Meloetta now and get out of here as soon as they could.

With a push of a button on their hover boards, a small sized cube covered in a durable force field shot out like a heat seeking missile to Meloetta.

She saw it coming from a mile away of course, but she hadn't expected it to be completely immune to psychic. Her eyes widened when the cube covered her like a prison, a very strong sense of déjà vu hitting her when she realized this was the same device Giovanni had captured her with back in Unova.

'I can't believe I fell for that again,' she scolded herself, crying her name loudly to get Ash's attention.

''We've got her!'' James said gleefully, almost unable to believe it actually worked.

''Now we have to get out of here!'' Meowth hissed, ''we've got a _big_ problem already.''

Jessie laughed. ''No problem; our helicopters are fast!'' She spoke to her earpiece to address the remaining grunts. ''This is a message to all Team Rocket personnel, leave the area immediately. We've got Meloetta. I repeat, leave the area immediately!''

The ten remaining helicopters and grunts fled on feet, something that Ash noticed very quickly.

''They have her,'' he whispered, soon realizing that Meloetta was nowhere to be found. ''No! Meloetta!'' he screamed.

''They have auntie?'' Sylveon squeaked in disbelief.

''Impossible,'' Pikachu muttered. He always saw Meloetta as someone undefeatable. How could she have been captured?

''No, auntie!'' Marill whimpered, tears forming in his beady eyes.

''Ash, I can still get to them, but my Extreme Speed is impossible to hold back,'' Dragonite warned.

The trainer gave him a painful look. ''No, I don't want you to hurt countless lives and destroy a big portion of the forest in the process. I have another plan.''

He pointed to one of the many grunts Meloetta had knocked out cold. ''They know where they will be taking her, and when one of them has spilled the beans, it's time that I finish Team Rocket for good.''

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are always appreciated! Next chapter, the end of Team Rocket? Until then! ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	23. Downfall

**The follow-up you guys have all been waiting for. Enjoy! :)**

 **Also, a quick question to you awesome readers. It would be nice to see if this fic could get a TV Tropes page. Is anyone interested/experienced in making such a thing? Shoot me a PM. I'd really appreciate it a lot! Thanks in advance. ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Brock would've found the perfect girl a long time ago. He deserves it. :)**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

The casino in Celadon city was crowded with people. Veteran trainers and youngsters alike were spending their precious money on the coin slots, desperately hoping to land that jackpot so that they could continue the rest of their journey without financial trouble.

At the counter, though, security personnel were fiddling with their thumbs awkwardly, being anything but relaxed. They were bribed by Team Rocket to stop a major threat from breaching the secret hideout. Sweat was pouring from their brows; they had no idea who they were about to face. The only thing that they were told was that a secret Team Rocket mission was pulled off with success. There only was a slight problem still coming their way, and they had to deal with it.

Security almost jumped out of their skin when the door was slammed open rather roughly by an angry looking teenager. He had a Pikachu on his right shoulder, a Marill on his left, and finally, a Sylveon was walking alongside him. They all equally looked as pissed off as their trainer.

At once, security sighed, relaxing a little at the sight of the young raven haired trainer. The one in charge gave the teenager a friendly smile when he approached them. ''Good evening, kid, can I help you perhaps?''

The teenager stopped right in front of him and glared, staring deadly daggers straight at his face.

''Where's Meloetta?'' he snarled.

The guy in charge chuckled, amused by this kid's behaviour. ''Melo-who? Hey fellows, I believe this kid hit his head.'' The others laughed obnoxiously. ''Now, why don't you move along before I'll have to throw you out?''

The teenager snorted. ''Team Rocket obviously hasn't told you who to expect; not surprising, giving that they're such a sloppy organization. Now, you're going to open the secret door to the basement by activating that switch hidden behind that poster, or else I'll have to destroy the whole place and force my way in, how about that?'' he replied dead serious, his calm tone suggesting he wasn't kidding around.

Immediately, the guy in charge knew it was serious. His eyes turned wide as saucers, and he reached for the pokeballs on his belt to defend himself, but before he could release his pokemon, a loud quake shook the entire casino on its foundations.

Everybody stopped what they were doing; murmurs could be heard as people looked at each other in worry. Another rumble—this one even bigger than the last—had people knocked off their feet and screaming in panic. Dust fell from the ceiling; security was petrified in place when massive cracks began to appear all on the upper walls of the casino.

''Wh-what?'' The guy in charge of security stuttered when quite literally the whole roof was lifted from the casino. A gigantic Dragonite was holding it in his paws, who obviously had ripped it off just a second ago. The dragon-type roared loudly; all windows in the casino shattered due to the massive number of decibels he produced, and it had people and pokemon fleeing in a frenzy.

Soon, only the head of security was left, his own men bailing on him too. Fearfully, he looked at the teenager who had raised a brow at him. He didn't wait any longer and quickly activated the switch to give him access to the secret Team Rocket hideout.

''Who are you?'' he asked in disbelief.

''Me?'' the raven haired trainer said. ''I'm the guy who's going to destroy Team Rocket once and for all. They're going to regret taking away Meloetta from me.''

* * *

Far inside the secret Team Rocket hideout, Giovanni strolled around, rubbing his chin while giving occasional glances at Meloetta. The petite legendary was locked behind a sturdy forcefield that blocked her attacks completely. She'd even tried to change into her Pirouette form, but her Relic Song completely failed, making her unable to.

''You are a very special pokemon, Meloetta, you know that?'' the boss of Team Rocket praised idly, pacing through the room.

''Mel,'' she replied murderously. The venom in her voice practically dripped from her lips. Somewhere deep in his being, Giovanni was glad she was safely secured. He'd to thank Doctor Namba later for that.

''I don't know why you're so hostile towards me. I already assured you I'm not going to do you any harm if you cooperate. However, you've been nothing but a nuisance ever since you've arrived.'' He stopped his pacing to give her a snarl. ''You knocked my Persian out cold. It's a good thing we had your powers suppressed for the most part. That Hyper Voice of yours is not going to catch me off-guard again.''

Meloetta gave him a satisfied, smug smile. That Persian had been taunting her ever since she arrived in Giovanni's office. Meloetta remembered him from the last time she was captured by Team Rocket's boss, and when the opportunity had showed itself, she had welcomed it with open arms. Needless to say, her attack was enough to blow the arrogant normal-type off his feet.

Giovanni slammed a fist on his desk, making Meloetta flinch. ''I've had more than enough. If you don't want to do this the easy way, then we're going to do it the hard way.''

Meloetta really didn't look fazed at Giovanni's threat. 'I know Ash is on his way,' she thought dreamily, 'and once he has freed me, I'm going to destroy you, Giovanni.'

The Team Rocket boss turned his attention to the big screen behind him where a crooked scientist was visible, ready to do his reports.

''Doctor Simba! How far are we with Project M?'' Giovanni asked curiously.

The scientist grumbled something under his breath about how nobody could remember his name, before responding loyally. ''We're at eighty percent as we speak, sir. Just another thirty minutes at most before we can start the procedure.''

Giovanni nodded, satisfied with the answer. ''Excellent, Doctor Anaconda. Keep me notified. We'll talk in thirty minutes.'' He closed the screen and gave Meloetta a villainous grin. ''Soon, we'll have the data we need extracted from you, and then we can move to phase two. It might hurt a little, though. That's the price you'll have to pay for being an all-around pain.''

In the next moment, a loud rumble was felt in the entire hideout, and soon after, another, bigger one, until it became deadly silent. Then, a roar was heard in the distance, one that spelled doom and Giovanni knew it.

The alarm went off not much later. Giovanni cursed under his breath. ''What is happening?'' he asked through his earpiece.

''Sir! Major problems. It's the kid. He has—'' static buzzed through the mini-radio, disrupting the signal before the Rocket boss could hear any more info. He gave an angry look in Meloetta's direction, already knowing what was coming his way

''It's your trainer, but at the look on your face, I assume you already knew. He's more tenacious than I thought. I didn't expect him to be too much trouble after we took you from him, but then I heard that he had an ancient Dragonite as well,'' Giovanni stated, gritting his teeth. An explosion went off on the upper floor. The Rocket boss knew his hideout was done for and that he didn't have much time left.

''Mel mel,'' she replied smugly.

''You're right, I did underestimate him. There's no way I can get what I want today. However, with the info we extracted from you, Project M will still be alive. Mark my words, Meloetta, the next time we meet, I'll have the upper hand.''

Giovanni contacted his commanding officers through his telephone on his desk. ''Jessie, James, Meowth, Buck and Cassidy. Prepare to leave Celadon with me immediately. We'll retreat. Team Rocket's operations are about to fall here,'' he informed them.

''Yes sir, we're on our way.''

The boss of Team Rocket gave a long sigh. ''I suppose you're going to try to destroy Team Rocket now, you and your little trainer.''

''Mel!''

''It's okay. I can't stop you either way. We have the data we need, and when Project M is fully operational, you can expect some major trouble from me, just like you and your trainer have been for me today.''

Another explosion much closer to them and grunts screaming out orders in panic was Giovanni's cue to leave. ''I'll see you around, Meloetta. Give your trainer my regards and respect. He'll be a formidable opponent.''

He left the office through the elevator in the back, while Meloetta scowled. She could do nothing but wait until Ash arrived, which luckily didn't take more than fifteen minutes.

When the door opened, Meloetta couldn't help but swoon. Her lovely trainer looked absolutely gorgeous and epic standing there, while smoke, debris and defeated Rocket grunts surrounded him from every side.

''Melo mel!'' she cried happily, a blush adorning her cheeks at Ash's contagious smile.

''Meloetta, thank goodness! Are you all right?'' Ash asked with concern in his voice.

She nodded her head, pressing her hands against the forcefield that kept her prison and looking him longingly in the eyes. ''Don't worry, we'll get you out of here,'' he reassured. ''Pikachu, Marill, Sylveon. Look for a button on the desk, anything that might break this forcefield.''

''I'm on it,'' Pikachu saluted.

''No problem, Daddy. Let's go, big sis,'' Marill cried.

''Uh-huh, we'll free you, Auntie Melly!'' Sylveon added joyfully.

The tree pokemon went to work swiftly, while Ash couldn't help but drown in his Meloetta's stunning eyes in the meantime. ''You're beautiful,'' he murmured.

Meloetta blushed and cooed, biting her lip almost seductively as she stared at her trainer.

''Found it!'' Pikachu declared triumphantly after a while of searching. He pressed the hidden button, and much to Ash's relief, the forcefield deactivated.

Much time to think he didn't get. Meloetta had his cheeks in her grasp in the next moment, and before the raven haired trainer knew it, she had pressed her sweet lips against his out of pure appreciation.

Pikachu snickered and couldn't help but to tease the duo. ''Oh, I see how it is. We did most of the work and Ash gets all the honour. You're one of those type of girls, eh?''

Meloetta broke the loving kiss she shared with Ash, before facing Pikachu with a small, teasing grin. ''I didn't know you wanted a kiss from me _that_ badly. Come here and I'll give you one.''

The electric rodent blushed shyly at the bold response. ''No, I'm pretty sure I'm fine.''

Meloetta giggled, hugged both Sylveon and Marill close, before giving them each a kiss on their cheek. ''Thanks for saving me, dearies. I appreciate it a lot.''

They nuzzled her back excitedly, very happy that their Auntie was back with them.

Last, but not least, Meloetta floated to Pikachu. ''I've to remember to thank that big friendly giant too, but first,'' she whispered. The petite legendary came in close, cupping Pikachu's cheeks lovingly before kissing the electric-type right on his nose. She held the kiss a tad longer than necessary, making him erupt into a fiery blush.

When she moved away, her eyes twinkled with nothing but adoration. ''Thanks, Pikachu. You mean a lot to me.''

The electric rodent coughed nervously. ''O-okay, that's more than enough with the sappiness. You ought to kiss Ash some more instead,'' he stammered. His blush didn't diminish in the slightest, though.

Meloetta stifled a giggle before floating back to her raven haired trainer.

''Hey, Meloetta,'' Pikachu called, making her stop and turn around. ''You mean a lot to me too.''

She cooed and blew him a kiss, before she was face to face with Ash once more. ''Ash, thank you. It was so foolish of me to get captured. Yet here you are, saving me without my help whatsoever. It goes to show how much you've grown as a trainer.'' She stopped for a moment, getting a bit flustered at Ash's warm smile. ''I love you, Ash,'' she concluded, capturing his lips once more and enjoying the sweet affection she shared with him.

The raven haired trainer could understand most of what she tried to say to him, and when she broke the kiss, he replied in the only way I could.

''I'm never going to let you get captured again, Meloetta. I love you too.''

Another kiss to seal that promise was her answer, Ash letting himself be drifted away in Meloetta's gentle, caring embrace.

* * *

 **Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review if you could spare the time. It really makes me happy and I reply to all of them! :D Next chapter battle against Koga. Until next time. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	24. Poisonous

**Next chapter is here, people. :) Also, a few announcements before we start off:**

 **~I'm getting some reviews from guests lately, and since I've got a policy to reply to all my reviewers, I will do that at the beginning of each chapter from now on. Keep in mind that my replies will be very short, though, as to not clog up all my chapters.**

 **~Sadly, nobody has given me a PM yet who's interested in setting up a TV tropes page for this story. I would really love to see one, and if you're as excited about this story as I am, then shoot me a message. :) It'll be a page accessible for all my readers to add and remove tropes, so it'll slowly grow as time moves on.**

* * *

 **~Guest: love it.**

 **Thank you.**

 **~Guest: Will Pikachu get smooched by a Lopunny?**

 **Nope.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, the 20th movie would have Brock and Misty in it.**

 **Enjoy. ^^  
**

* * *

When Koga, the Fuchsia gym leader, opened his eyes to look inside his gym, only emptiness greeted his sharp sight. But he knew that was about to change very soon. It was no secret anymore that Ash Ketchum was the owner of a legendary pokemon and an ancient Dragonite, and now, he was heading his way for a Soul badge.

'So, it's my turn to battle you now, young hero,' he thought respectfully. A small smile appeared on Koga's face. As a true ninja, he knew the importance of family all too well. That cheap stunt that Team Rocket pulled on Ash had become their downfall.

It had been all over the news the last few weeks, how a raven haired trainer had been sighted all over Kanto on the back of a massive Dragonite, destroying Team Rocket buildings left and right—be they hidden or out in the open.

'Looks like they pissed him off good; gone is all his subtlety,' Koga remembered thinking to himself. He was kind of disappointed with Ash's approach, but he couldn't help but to admire his incredible sense of justice.

'If I'm being honest with myself, I would've done the same if Team Rocket had kidnapped Aya. Well, I would be a lot subtler, but still.'

Koga smiled at those thoughts, cracked his neck and closed his eyes. Focusing, he could sense the presence of a massive pokemon approaching his gym from the sky; definitely Ash's Dragonite. A small earthquake later indicated that the giant had landed at the entrance of his gym.

'It is time, Ash Ketchum.'

* * *

When Ash opened the doors of the gym, he was confident. Meloetta was floating behind him, deep in conversation with Pikachu. Both Sylveon and Marill were walking at his right, giggling and playing with each other.

''I had no idea,'' Pikachu said, ''that legendary pokemon could get so old.''

''Well, Arceus created us specifically to keep this world spinning. We're basically its guardians.''

''Does that mean that you're immortal?'' Pikachu asked with a hint of disbelief.

Meloetta shook her head. ''Only Arceus is. Even the keepers of time, space and darkness will eventually pass away, but that will take a while, though. To put that in perspective, I'm around twelve-hundred years old, which means I'm a teenager for human standards. Meloetta tend to get around eight-thousand years old on average. Now if we're talking about Palkia, for example, eight-thousand years is nothing.''

''Really?'' Pikachu almost sounded like Marill when he asked. Meloetta had to stifle a giggle from the surprise in his voice.

''Yes. Palkia's almost five-hundred million years old. He'll easily reach two billion.''

''Two billion?'' Pikachu couldn't believe it. ''I'm happy if I reach sixty years,'' he jokingly responded.

Meloetta giggled. ''Don't sell yourself too short. Strong Pikachu reach one-hundred without much trouble.'' She winked.

''I'll be an old fart. What kind of fun would that be? I wouldn't be able to battle for Ash and kick some Team Rocket ass.''

''You weren't kicking much Team Rocket ass to begin with,'' Meloetta said teasingly, ''so nothing would have changed.''

Pikachu waved her off dismissively. ''Oh please, you were praying the lucky stars that you could keep up with me, albeit barely. Are you sure twelve-hundred years isn't old for Meloetta?''

The legendary puffed up her cheeks in an adorable fashion. ''No, it isn't!'' she said in denial, her tone a little bit more defensive than she wanted it to be. ''I'm barely fourteen in human years.''

''Sure, sure, grandma.'' Pikachu grinned. ''Is that why you're dating Ash? So you can feel a bit younger again?''

''Oh, shut up; you know why I date Ash.'' She gave him a friendly push. ''What about you? Ever had a girlfriend before?''

Pikachu shrugged his shoulders. ''Sort of. I'm only ten years old, mind you; it's around this age that we, Pikachu, actively look for a mate for the first time. Anyway, I hooked up with a very adorable Cyndaquil, but things didn't really work out.'' Pikachu almost sounded ashamed.

''What happened?''

''My ability happened,'' Pikachu confessed in a sad voice. ''While it's handy in battle, like against Erika's Leafeon, in other situations, it isn't. She, in turn, burned me pretty bad when she activated the flame on her back in a reflex. I was so embarrassed. She had to eat Cheri berries all day before it wore off.''

Meloetta gave him a consoling look. ''So, she blew it off?''

''She said she really thought of me as a sweet guy, but I couldn't give her what she wanted. We tried multiple times in different ways, but my ability would act up every time.'' Pikachu's ears drooped.

''Uncle Pika? What are you and Auntie Melly talking about? Why are you looking so sad now?'' Marill asked. The innocence and worry in his voice was almost palpable, something that made Pikachu smile sadly.

''It's nothing to worry about, sprout. Grown-ups talk. You'll understand when you're older,'' he cooed, and gave him a rub.

Marill giggled at the friendly touch. ''Okay! Hey, uncle Pika, do you really think big sis and I can win?''

He chuckled. ''I'm sure. Even with the type-disadvantage, you two have grown so much stronger in the last weeks. Battling all those Team Rocket Zubat and Golbat has really helped you guys prepare for this moment.''

''Did you hear that, big sis?'' Marill seemed to radiate happiness. ''We're going to make daddy so proud!''

''Uh-huh. We will make sure daddy gets his sixth badge, and then he will be all happy and hug us!'' Sylveon replied cheerfully, hopping alongside Ash like a Buneary instead of walking normally. Her smile was contagious, and Marill reflected it.

''Yay!'' he cheered, bouncing up and down like a Spoink, until he eventually was picked up by one of Sylveon's feelers and placed on her back.

''We're going to win, we're going to win!'' They both sang. Pikachu's sadness seemed to disappear instantly as he watched the two kids hop and sing like they were a bunch of drunks, and he couldn't help but laugh at their antics.

''Watch were you going, squirt. In a moment, you'll hit a wall if you keep hopping with your eyes closed,'' he joked.

Meloetta watched the scene with a bittersweet smile. 'You're always trying your hardest for us, Pikachu. Is that why you and Ash are so inseparable?' Her heart broke when she saw how sad the electric-type was just a moment ago. 'Don't worry, I'll make sure to try my hardest for you too. Mark my words, Pikachu.'

Ash, in the meantime, had reached the back of the gym, where a middle-aged man with spiky hair had been watching him and his pokemon patiently with amusement on his face.

''Ash Ketchum, welcome to the Fuchsia city gym. I'm the gym leader, Koga.''

''It's nice to meet you, Koga. This is Meloetta, my partner.'' She gave a little wave to Koga as Ash introduced her. ''And this is Pikachu, Sylveon and Marill. We're here for a Soul badge,'' he said.

The gym leader nodded his head. ''It was quite inevitable that this day would arrive. I've been looking forward to it ever since the news spread that a kid with a legendary was traveling through Kanto. And now, it's not a secret anymore who that kid is. You've been very active lately, haven't you, Ash?''

Ash shrugged his shoulders. ''It was never my intention to make a lot of ruckus, but Team Rocket brought it upon themselves. Besides, I wanted Kanto to know somebody was dealing with them.''

Koga applauded him. ''A very honorable effort. You've got my respect, young hero. Taking on such a big criminal organization is no small feat. Meloetta and Dragonite must be very powerful.''

The raven haired trainer rubbed his head sheepishly. ''Thanks, Koga. And yeah, they are very powerful. Luckily, my other pokemon are very strong too.'' It baffled Ash how much respect Koga seemed to have for him. He was a far cry from Lt. Surge.

''I see that two of them are very eager to battle me as well,'' Koga noted, amused at Sylveon and Marill's adorable behaviour. Their silly dance had been replaced with cold hard stares to be more intimidating, while their stances were active, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

''Absolutely. These two have trained very hard for this moment. They were a big help defeating Team Rocket for me,'' Ash said proudly.

Both Sylveon and Marill seemed to grow a bit bigger at the praise.

''Oh, were they? I can certainly see that. Well then, I'm interested to see how strong they truly are. Ash Ketchum, I hereby accept your challenge for the Soul badge. This will be a two vs two battle. The battle is over when one side's pokemon are unable to battle,'' Koga explained.

Ash nodded his head in understanding, and took his spot on the battlefield.

''Now then, Ash, show me what you've got!''

* * *

The battle against Koga was anything but easy. Sylveon managed to take down his Venomoth, but ultimately succumbed to Koga's Crobat. Marill too, was in a bit of a pickle. Both pokemon seemed to be on their last breath.

''I know you can do it, Marill, just one final hit,'' Ash encouraged.

''This is all yours, Crobat, victory is ours,'' Koga responded in turn.

Marill gritted his teeth. He'd fought countless Zubat and Golbat, but they usually went down in one hit. This Crobat took three and was still flying.

'I can do it,' he thought. 'Daddy believes in me; big sis, uncle and auntie believe in me. So, I shall believe in me too!'

At that moment, he began to glow brightly. He felt himself growing larger and stronger, and once the light died down, he had to stifle a gasp.

''Marill, sweetie, you evolved!'' Meloetta cheered.

''Good going, sprout!'' Pikachu congratulated him. ''You've got the best timing. Now defeat that Crobat once and for all.''

He nodded his head eagerly and eyed Ash, who looked at him with a massive smile. ''Now Azumarill, use Aqua Tail!''

Koga looked alarmed. 'At a moment like this?' He cursed his bad luck.

''Crobat, Poison Fang!'' he retaliated quickly.

The poison and flying-type, being a lot faster than Azumarill, was the first to strike. His fangs grew in size and took on a purple, venomous hue. He bit down hard, causing Azumarill to cry out in pain; it almost cancelled out Azumarill's attack too, given that it was a super effective hit.

Unfortunately for Crobat—and with eyes wide as saucers—he saw his opponent's tail crash into him with the force of a waterfall. He was knocked away like a bullet leaving the chamber of a gun, crashed violently into the wall of the gym with force only a pokemon with Huge Power could cause, and didn't get up after that.

''I did it, daddy,'' he muttered weakly, before collapsing on the ground, unable to battle any longer.

''Azumarill!'' Ash called out worriedly. He crouched down in front of his fainted pokemon to check if he was okay.

''Don't worry, Ash. Azumarill has merely given everything he had. A night's rest in the pokemon center and he should be fine,'' Koga reassured while calling back his Crobat.

Ash couldn't help but give Azumarill a big hug after that. ''Thank you,'' he whispered, ''why don't you take a well-deserved rest? Return.''

''Thanks for the immensely thrilling battle. You've won, Ash, congratulations! As a sign of beating me today, please accept this Soul badge from me, young hero.''

Koga held out the symbol, which Ash took with respect. ''Thank you, Koga.'' He bowed, which the gym leader reciprocated wholeheartedly.

* * *

When Ash had left the gym, his Meloetta hugging him tightly around his neck, Koga chuckled.

''This kid will be going places. Watch out, elite four, because a new challenger is approaching the Indigo League soon. I wonder if it will be as one-sided as with Lance.''

Koga chuckled again. ''I'm looking forward to seeing your true potential one day, Ash Ketchum.''

* * *

 **A slightly different approach than the other gym leader battles so far. :) Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please. I love to read them! Next chapter Ash will add his final member to his team! Until next time. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	25. Family

**I'm back, people. Enjoy this somewhat longer chapter! :) Also, I'm sad to say that nobody responded for the second time to my request for a TV Tropes page on this fic. I'm going to mention it one more time, before assuming nobody is interested in creating/viewing such a page, which is a bit disappointing, to say the least. So, if you want to help me out, now's your chance. It'll be appreciated. ;)**

* * *

 **~Guest: Come on! Pikachu and Ash are like twin brothers. So whatever happens to Ash, happens to Pikachu too. That's what I believe. So Pikachu should get the same treatment as Ash.**

 **He will, don't worry.**

 **~Guest: Love it.**

 **Thanks.**

 **~Guest:** **Lopunny's Hidden Ability is Limber. Although Hidden Abilities didn't appear in the anime, with this ability, Pikachu's Static wouldn't be a problem.**

 **Damn. If you were the same guy asking if Pikachu would be smooched by a Lopunny, then you got me here. XD**

 **~Guest:** **I wish there were more: ''Ash shipped with a female Pokemon'' stories.**

 **You and me both, buddy.**

 **~Guest: Will ash and Meloetta get intimate?**

 **Not any more than they already are.**

 **~Guest: I personally love this story and how Ash is FINALLY winning shit. I know this is alternate timeline stuff, but do you think that you could get Charizard and the others in here? Please, I know it is your story but I really love Charizard.**

 **Sorry, no Charizard in this story.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Dusk Lycanroc wouldn't be such a lazy design!  
**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

The Laramie ranch is well known in Kanto for preserving and raising wild pokemon. To honour that tradition, a local festival—complete with a pokemon race—is held annually. It usually attracts a lot of curious people, and this year, that's not an exception.

''What do you guys think? Are you enjoying the festival?'' A girl named Lara asked Ash and his pokemon.

''Oh, yeah, definitely,'' the raven haired trainer replied. His pokemon all gave a cry of their name in approval as well.

''I'm very glad to hear that. It's such an honour to have you here, Ash,'' Lara said excitedly.

Ever since Ash made quick work of Team Rocket, his fame had started to rise all throughout Kanto. Now that the cat was out of the bag, he was the most talked about person in the entire region. After all, owning a legendary and an ancient pokemon at such a young age was practically unheard of.

When Ash stumbled upon the Laramie ranch by complete accident, Lara had immediately coaxed him into entering the pokemon race that was held tomorrow. Right now, she was leading him to the registration booth to set things up.

''Gee, I'm flattered, Lara,'' Ash replied while rubbing his head sheepishly at her praise. Both Pikachu and Meloetta snickered; their trainer still had to get used to the fact he was considered a national hero now. ''There's one small problem, though,'' he added, ''I don't really have a pokemon to race on, only if my Dragonite is allowed entry.''

Lara giggled at his joking tone. ''Don't worry about that, I've got you covered.'' She gave him a wink and pointed at a meadow in the distance. ''Those Ponyta over there I've all bred myself. Why don't you pick one as your partner while I'll go ahead and register you?''

Ash looked at her incredulously. ''For real? I can use one of your pokemon?''

''Well, they're not really owned by anyone. I bred and raised them, but officially, they're all wild Ponyta. I must warn you, though. Ponyta who don't trust you have the tendency to burn you, so choose your partner wisely.''

Ash looked at his pokemon with a small smile. ''Would you guys like to help me then, so I don't accidentally burn myself?''

''Sure, lovely,'' Meloetta replied melodically while giving Ash a sweet hug.

''Of course; you would still burn yourself if you tried to bake an omelette, Ash. Letting you wander through a field full of wild fire horses all by yourself seems pretty irresponsible,'' Pikachu teased.

''We will help too, daddy!'' Azumarill said.

''Yeah, let's make a new friend!'' Sylveon cheered.

Lara nodded her head. ''It seems that that's settled then. I'll come check on you in a minute, Ash. I'll be right back.'' She waved before walking off to the booth to register Ash.

''Okay! See you soon.'' Ash waved back. When he was done, he beckoned his pokemon closer. ''Right, now let's find ourselves a Ponyta!''

* * *

When Ash and his pokemon had reached the meadow, about two dozen of Ponyta looked back at him curiously.

''Okay, where to start,'' he muttered.

Meloetta eyed Pikachu. ''Shall I filter out the Ponyta who don't trust him right now before he injures himself?''

''Yeah, that seems like the best thing to do.''

''Melo Meloetta!'' She nudged Ash when he was about to pet the first Ponyta in front of him. She shook her head and instead directed him to the smallest Ponyta in the entire herd.

The fire-type in question looked unsure, yet very hopeful and optimistic when Ash approached her with a bright smile.

''Hi there, Ponyta, my name's Ash,'' he introduced, ''and this is my family: Meloetta, Pikachu, Azumarill and Sylveon.''

''Hi Ash,'' she replied cutely in pokespeech. She then looked at each pokemon individually. ''So, is there a reason why you are all here?''

Meloetta nodded. ''Ash needs a partner for the pokemon race tomorrow.''

''The pokemon race?'' Ponyta was immediately interested. ''I've always dreamed of participating, but since I'm so small all the other Ponyta here beat me by a long shot.'' She sighed sadly. ''I don't suppose Ash is looking to take me as his partner.''

''Well, you do seem to trust him,'' Pikachu added with a snicker.

''Huh?'' Ponyta hadn't even noticed that Ash was petting her. His hands went through her flames harmlessly.

''What do you say, Ponyta?'' Ash asked brightly. ''You want to partner up?''

She neighed in disbelief. ''But, but, I don't even have had the chance to practice yet,'' she sputtered.

''You don't have to worry,'' Sylveon squeaked, ''daddy trusts you, so everything will be fine.''

''Yeah, daddy is very good at training pokemon,'' Azumarill added proudly.

''I—I don't know what to say,'' she replied honestly. ''Thanks, all of you. I'm going to do my best and not let any of you down!''

She reared on her back legs for a moment to show her strength and determination, which made Ash laugh. ''All right! Then I choose you as my partner, Ponyta!''

''Oh, now that's a mighty interesting pick, Ash,'' Lara commented. She had just returned from registering Ash for the race. ''You do know I'll be racing on her dad, right?''

At the mention of her father, Ponyta seemed to shrink a little.

''Her dad?'' Ash asked for clarification.

''Yup. This Ponyta you chose is a daughter of the Ponyta I'm racing on. However, their relationship is iffy at best.''

''How come?''

''Because my dad is a huge jerk!'' Ponyta answered for Ash. ''He has never believed in me because I'm small. I want to show him how strong I truly am by winning the race tomorrow.''

''Oh, really now?'' A regal voice brought in mockingly. Lara smiled at the newcomer while Ponyta gasped in fear. ''Ash, I want you to meet my Ponyta. He'll be your opponent tomorrow.''

''It's a pleasure to meet you, Ash. However, I can't fathom why you would waste your time with this dwarf.''

Ponyta's ears drooped at her father's harsh words.

Meloetta couldn't believe what she heard. Being a very small pokemon herself, she felt insulted.

''Watch what you're saying, pal!'' Meloetta hissed. ''You don't want to find out what _this_ dwarf can do.''

''I apologize, lady Meloetta. I overstepped my boundaries,'' he said smartly, and gave her a respectful bow. ''Anyway, I wish you and your trainer the best of luck tomorrow.''

Meloetta crossed her arms and huffed. Ponyta wasn't lying when she said that her father was a huge jerk.

Ash, surprisingly, was very cool about all of it. ''It's nice to meet you too, Ponyta.'' He turned his attention back to Lara. ''Could you maybe excuse me and my pokemon? I need to prepare.''

''Of course,'' Lara replied jovially. ''I'll see you tomorrow at the race then! Come, Ponyta.''

When Lara and her steed were out of sight, Ash gave a long sigh. ''Unbelievable,'' he muttered.

''I can't believe it either. How can you be so cruel?'' Pikachu wondered.

''Isn't he her daddy?'' Azumarill added innocently. ''Then why is he such a meanie to her?''

''I don't know, sweetie,'' Meloetta cooed. ''Some people just do and say dumb things.''

Sylveon was already consoling Ponyta, while Ash decided to give her a warm hug as well. ''Are you okay?''

She gave a sad, low whiny in response. ''I know that must've been a slap in the face for you. But, we're going to prove your dad wrong. Come tomorrow, we're going to win that race!''

* * *

The next morning, Ash and a fired up Ponyta were standing at the starting line. They'd almost prepared all night for this moment, got just a bit of rest, and then headed straight to the race. Their lack of sleep was covered up entirely by their sheer determination to win.

''Well, this is it, Ponyta. It's time to show everybody here what you got. I know you can do it!'' Ash stroked her neck in reassurance, to which she gave him a happy glance.

''I will, Ash. Just watch me!''

Just then, Lara and her Ponyta slowly trotted to the starting line as well. Compared to Ash, she was sitting a good bit taller than he did.

''Hey there, Ash! Good luck to you and Ponyta,'' she said

''Thanks, Lara. Good luck to you guys as well,'' he responded.

Lara's Ponyta nodded once to Ash, but didn't give his daughter a single ounce of recognition. He ignored her gaze and instead looked straight ahead.

Meanwhile, Ash's pokemon were in the bleachers, rooting for their trainer and Ponyta. A lot of people came to watch once they heard the hero kid of Kanto was racing as well, so the crowd was pretty huge.

Once all the racers had settled, an announcer began to count down.

''Are all the racers ready?''

Ponyta narrowed her eyes, her muscles tensing and her flames flaring; she was going to give this everything that she had.

''Get set…''

Ash tensed as well, preparing for Ponyta to take off.

''Go!''

A small stampede of pokemon followed as all the racers shot off as fast as they could. Lara quickly took the lead, followed by a guy named Dario on a Dodrio. Ash and Ponyta were comfortably in the middle of the bunch.

''The first part of the race is all flat,'' Ash reminded the fire-type, ''there's simply no way you can keep up with your dad, so don't sweat it. Soon, we'll reach a pretty big hill; that's where we'll make up time with your nimbleness on rocky terrain.''

Ponyta knew the plan. They'd practiced going uphill and downhill a lot, as well as the next part of the race, which involved crossing water on slippery stepping-stones. Thanks to her small size, she was almost like a Gogoat; ascending and descending was something she was very strong at.

Not much later, Lara was the first to reach the hill, but like Ash had predicted, her Ponyta's size made it pretty difficult for her to climb to the top of it, which made her lose the lead to Dario.

Ash and Ponyta all shocked the competition with how efficiently they ascended the hill; they were in fourth place when they reached the top, and they didn't seem to slow down in the slightest.

''How's that possible?'' a woman on a Nidorina questioned; Ash and Ponyta were going downhill even faster, something which would spook the average Ponyta in fear of losing control over their movements, but not this one.

Meanwhile, Dario had reached the stepping-stone part, and crossed it efficiently, as did Lara. In third place was a woman on her Arcanine, but the sheer size of the pokemon lost her a lot of time on this obstacle

Ash and Ponyta didn't have this problem and passed them smoothly. ''Great going, girl!'' Ash praised. ''We're in third place! Just look ahead, I can see Lara and your dad not too far in front of us.''

Ponyta couldn't believe her eyes, but it was true. She had almost caught up to her own dad. 'I'm going to make it,' she thought in disbelief.

The end of the race was approaching. The last portion of the race consisted in making your pokemon eat a whole plate of pokemon food before sprinting towards the finish. Dario met his match here; the three heads of his Dodrio bickered over who was going to eat what. Eventually, Lara passed him to reclaim the first place, followed very closely by Ash.

''And it looks like Lara is in first place, followed very closely by Ash in second!'' the announcer exclaimed to the audience.

'What?' Lara's Ponyta thought. When he looked back, he indeed saw his daughter not too far away from him. Just when Ponyta thought she would catch up and go neck to neck with her dad, he began to speed up and create distance between them.

'No,' Ponyta thought, 'I'm not going to make it. He's way too fast.'

She looked back at Ash, who just grinned. ''Everything that you have,'' he reminded her with a wink. Ponyta smiled back and nodded. She wasn't going to give up now.

'I refuse to lose,' she thought. She forced herself to speed up, while her muscles burned and ached in protest. 'I'm going to win this!' Her breath caught in her throat and her heart was beating like a drum, yet she ignored all of it while her flames burned passionately. 'I can do this! I can do this! I _can_ do this!'

In front of the whole crowd, and to everybody's stupor, Ponyta began to evolve right in the middle of the race. Ash's eyes turned as wide as saucers, because she grew exponentially. When her evolution was completed, Ash was suddenly sitting on a pokemon easily twice the size as before, if she wasn't even bigger.

''Unbelievable! Ash's Ponyta has evolved into a Rapidash! And what kind of Rapidash, ladies and gentlemen. Just look at the sheer size of her!'' the announcer screamed excitedly through his mike.

Ash was at a loss for words. The incredible big Rapidash sped up like a bullet; she had no trouble catching up to her dad and overtaking him, much to his and Lara's shock. Gracefully, she ran over the finish line in first place, and gave a loud neigh on her back legs to show her incredible strength and willpower.

''It's over! Congratulations to Ash Ketchum and his Rapidash for taking first place!''

The whole crowd cheered and clapped loudly for them, a devastating applause earned through hard work and effort. ''See? I knew you could do it!'' Ash laughed and gave Rapidash a kiss on her cheek. ''You should be so proud of yourself!''

She nuzzled Ash back affectionately, and allowed him to dismount her. Immediately, his Meloetta flew in his arms and congratulated both of them, while the rest of Ash's pokemon followed soon after.

''Wow, now that was an awesome race! Congrats, Ash!'' Lara said genuinely.

''Thanks, Lara! It was a close one. You and Ponyta are a very great team.''

At the same time, Rapidash approached her dad with a big smile on her face. ''Did you see me, dad? I evolved! Look at how big I am right now!'' It was true, compared to her dad, she was almost a giant. ''I won! I won the race,'' she added excitedly. Rapidash was so ecstatic right now; this was the best day of her life, and it was all because of Ash.

''So, you won. Well, _good_ for you,'' he sneered.

''Huh?'' Rapidash replied.

Ponyta snorted. ''Did you honestly think I'd be impressed with you now that you won and evolved? _Look_ at you, you're still a _freak!''_

Rapidash's eyes burned with disbelief and rage at her father's unbelievable choice of words. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks while she looked ready to beat the crap out of him. ''How can you be such an ass!?'' she screamed. ''You've never been proud of me! And now that I finally had the chance to proof myself to you, you still treat me like filth. You unbelievable son of a _bitch!_ ''

'' _What_ did you just say to me?'' he hissed dangerously. ''I'm your _father!_ I put you on this world, fed you every day and you give me such a disrespectful _mouth_ in return!?'' His eyes shone like fire. ''You don't even deserve to call yourself a Laramie bred; you're nothing but a low, whiny child. Now get _out_ of my sight and _never_ return!''

Her father turned his back on her, and trotted away in pure rage.

''Fine, you pompous _bastard!_ I never want to see you again either!'' she screamed after him. Rapidash turned around, devastated and heart-broken, only to find the warm embrace of Ash's body against her face. There, she cried softly, while the raven haired trainer and his pokemon consoled her wordlessly.

''I'll go talk with Ponyta,'' Lara said after a while. Ash just shook her head. ''There's no need. He won't change his mind. Everybody here saw that he basically disowned Rapidash as his daughter.''

Lara bit her lip. ''I'm so sorry, Rapidash. I never wanted it to be this way,'' she apologized sincerely.

The large fire-type gave a soft whiny in response to let her know that it wasn't her fault. Eventually, her tears stopped flowing, completely evaporating on her warm body while only hiccups remained.

''Ash,'' she then whispered.

''Yeah, Rapidash?'' he responded warmly.

Rapidash looked him straight in the eyes; what she saw made her realize how lucky she was in meeting him yesterday. Compassion, unlike anything she had ever seen, for her. Here was a person who cared for her for who she truly was, just like all his pokemon did. A warmth replaced the cold bitterness she had felt just moments ago, and suddenly, it was all too clear what she had to do.

''Please be my pokemon trainer and capture me. I promise to do my best for you in every battle and train hard!''

A deadly silence followed, which seemed to last for an eternity for Rapidash. In reality, though, it was only five seconds.

''Rapidash,'' Ash replied gently. ''I would love nothing more than to adopt you into my family.''

Meloetta and Pikachu smiled at each other, while Sylveon and Azumarill were jumping up and down in sheer joy.

''Family?'' she whispered.

''Yeah, we're one big family,'' Azumarill said. He was hugging his big sister to show what he meant.

''It's true,'' Meloetta spoke up. ''All of us here, including our friendly giant Dragonite, is family. We all look after each other and love each other.''

The fire-type felt like she was going to cry all over again. This human and these pokemon showed her affection she had never experienced before.

''Family,'' she repeated, like the word was something alien to her. Tears of joy appeared in her eyes. ''I think I can get used to that.''

She gave a happy sigh when Ash finally captured her. All these emotions were running rampant through her new body, but solace and hope ignited a new flame inside of her that roared like a Blast Burn. She was going to start all over again, and this time, it was with people who loved her.

Rapidash could only describe the feeling as true happiness.

* * *

 **So there you have it, folks! Ash's final member. Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! I love me some reviews. :D Next chapter Ash vs Gary rematch! Until next time. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	26. Rematch

**Here's the next chapter, folks. Enjoy! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Alolan Johto pokemon would exist.**

* * *

 **No guest review(s) last chapter.  
**

* * *

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts.

* * *

On the road back to Fuchsia City, Ash and his pokemon were making a quick stop at a local flower shop. His newly caught Rapidash insisted that he should use her for traveling, and so, Ash rode on his proud fire-type with the grace of a knight. Needless to say, he got a lot of fascinated stares. Not only was Rapidash an excellent racer, making the trek back a lot quicker, but she was also huge. It was almost like Ash had tamed a giant equine, and both of them sucked in the positivity they received like a sponge.

''I think they're impressed with you, Rapidash,'' Pikachu stated in a joking matter.

''That's because auntie Dashie is so cool!'' Azumarill cried cheerfully.

Rapidash's smile couldn't be wider. Just a few days ago, Sylveon and Azumarill had started to call her aunt. The feeling she felt welling up inside almost overwhelmed her. Ash and his pokemon really treated her like she was always part of the family. Such warmness burned even hotter than Moltres' flames.

''Auntie Dashie! We were going for a ride together one time, remember?'' Sylveon said hopefully.

''Me too, me too!'' Azumarill added.

Meloetta stifled a melodic giggle at the two excited kids. 'Look how happy she is,' she thought, watching how Rapidash nodded her head warmly to Sylveon and Azumarill. 'And it's all thanks to you, Ash.'

She looked at the raven haired trainer with rosy cheeks. It wasn't long before she had her petite frame against him, enveloping Ash in her sweet embrace.

''Hi Meloetta!'' Ash laughed as her elegant hair tickled his face.

''Melo mel,'' she said genuinely, turning his head until he was looking her straight in her light blue eyes.

''Oh, Meloetta,'' Ash whispered. ''You're such a silly girl. I love you too.''

It's exactly what she wanted to hear. Her lips were connected with Ash's in a passionate kiss in an instant. She loved the feeling; Ash was so gentle, yet a bit rough at times, which she liked a lot. If she could, she would kiss Ash forever.

''Aw, just look at these two Pidoves. Kissu kissu~'' Pikachu teased them, effectively getting Meloetta to blush.

''Honestly, Pikachu. The moment you've got a girlfriend, I'm not giving you a second of rest,'' the petite legendary threatened playfully.

''If I don't repel her away first,'' he joked back, letting his electricity run through his fur for emphasis.

''Don't worry about that. I'll find you a sweet ground-type then.'' Meloetta winked. At the suggestion, Pikachu began to blush faintly. He completely forgot his ability would be nullified by ground-types.

''That could work,'' he admitted.

''You'll have a cute girlfriend in no time, Pikachu. You're the most famous electric-type in Kanto besides Zapdos. I'm amazed you've not been swarmed from the left and the right yet.''

Pikachu's blush began to grow brighter. ''Okay, I get it. Stop talking like I'm some attractive buff guy. Go kiss Ash some more or something.''

Meloetta blew him a loving kiss in response.

Finally, Ash stopped his Rapidash in front of the flower shop and dismounted her, only to run in a very familiar face.

''Well, well, well. If it isn't Ashy-boy, or should I say, the hero kid of Kanto?'' Gary's smugness was palpable, yet something had changed about his tone as well. He wasn't talking in a mocking manner anymore; it was replaced with a more playful tone, one that carried a sense of deep respect as well.

''Gary,'' Ash replied simply with a nod.

''I see you've caught some more pokemon. That's a strong looking Rapidash you've got there,'' Gary complimented.

''Oh.'' Ash was a bit surprised. ''Thank you.''

''So, what do you say? I've trained my pokemon a lot, and took your advice as well. I've returned a lot of my caught pokemon to the wild and instead focused on only a few. Let me have a rematch against you, two versus two. A certain pokemon of mine is also dying for a rematch against your Sylveon.''

Ash gave his rival a smile. ''Sure, Gary. I'm positive Sylveon would love to battle too.'' He only had to give her glance before she was in a fighting stance already. ''I'm ready, daddy!''

Ash had to suppress a chuckle at her adorable behaviour.

''Okay! Then let's do it right now!'' Gary suggested. Ash nodded his head in agreement. ''Fine with me.''

''Wow,'' Pikachu muttered, ''he has changed so much. How's that possible? He even ditched those cheerleaders.''

Meloetta smiled. ''Ash won his respect the moment Sylveon took down his Eevee in one hit. It wasn't even close.''

Pikachu nodded his head. ''That's true, I guess he has matured, as has Ash.''

Meanwhile, Gary walked to his side of the makeshift field, and threw his first pokeball in the air. ''Go, Umbreon!'' he shouted.

The dark-type eeveelution appeared on the field, her eyes widening the moment she spotted the Sylveon who had humiliated her on the S.S. Anne that day.

''You,'' she hissed.

''Oh, you evolved as well. Here for another round to smack talk my daddy?'' Sylveon questioned in a dangerous tone.

Umbreon's breath hitched in her throat. ''N-no. I'm here to defeat you!''

Sylveon remained expressionless, her feelers moving randomly around her body like snakes ready to bite. ''You won't,'' she replied simply.

Umbreon gritted her teeth. She had never been so afraid of a pokemon of her kind before. This kid was a very dangerous opponent, she knew. This time, she wasn't going to underestimate her.

''Okay, Umbreon, let's start this off with a Shadow Ball!'' Gary suggested.

''Counter it with your Moonblast, Sylveon!'' Ash retaliated.

The two orbs collided in mid-air and exploded, sending smoke flying everywhere. However, when the smoke was cleared, Sylveon was nowhere in sight, much to the shock of Gary and Umbreon.

'Where did she go?' he thought in panic. Then, he looked up, and with growing alarm saw her descending like a rocket on his dark-type. ''Crap, did Ash order her to use Quick Attack to get so high in the sky when we both were blinded by the smoke? Clever,' Gary admitted, 'but we have something up our sleeve as well.'

''Umbreon, Endure!'' Gary shouted just in time.

Ash perked his brow. 'Endure? That means Umbreon is going to survive this attack no matter what. But why would Gary give up so much of his Umbreon's strength if he could've just as easily ordered her to dodge? He saw my surprise attack coming in time, after all. What are you planning?'

A red hue began to glow all around Umbreon, just before Sylveon crashed into her like a comet. A cloud of dust spread around the battlefield, making both parties unable to see once again.

Gary knew his Umbreon had used Endure in time, so it was now time for phase two. ''Now, Umbreon, use Payback!'' he shouted.

All around Umbreon, globs of purple energy shot out to Sylveon, who was still recovering from recoil damage. As a result, she was unable to dodge the attack, which hit her and made her cry out in pain.

'That's a pretty clever strategy,' Ash had to admit. 'Payback does twice the damage when you're hit first, making it a very formidable attack. Combine that with the recoil damage Sylveon just suffered, and it'll guarantee to do a lot. However, it seems Gary still lacks a lot of experience fighting fairies.'

Gary grinned, satisfied with the result. ''How do you like that, Ashy-boy?''

''Not bad, Gary. But you're forgetting one thing…''

Ash paused to show that his Sylveon was still standing, a bit bruised, but not overly so. ''Dark is weak against fairy, and while you still did a nice amount, my Sylveon is a wall and a cleric first and foremost.

''What?'' Gary stuttered. He felt like he was getting lectured by a teacher because he said something stupid.

''I only have to order my Sylveon to use Wish and she will be perfectly healed.'' Ash couldn't help but smile a bit at his flustered rival. The tables had completely turned since he started his journey.

''Besides, your Umbreon has taken lots of damage now. One hit and it's over. You should learn Umbreon Protect instead of Endure. That way, the same strategy still stands, even if the opponent's move fails to land.''

Gary was stunned into silence. ''I see…'' he responded finally. ''Thanks for the advice, Ash. I'm sure to make some adjustments to Umbreon's move-set in the future.'' It was a genuine reply, something that the raven haired trainer never had heard coming out of Gary's mouth before.

''Okay, I'm looking forward to it. Now, why don't we finish this battle?'' Ash suggested.

Gary gave his signature, smug grin in return. ''You got it, Ashy-boy.''

* * *

The battle against Umbreon was quickly done after that. The dark-type did manage to land some surprisingly powerful hits on Sylveon, but in the end, she was victorious. Gary's next pokemon was a Nidorina, and Ash thought this was a perfect opportunity to try out Rapidash in a battle.

She was eager, but very inexperienced. As a result, Nidorina made it pretty difficult, even though her size gave her a huge advantage.

'Just one more solid attack and Rapidash will be victorious. I can't let her be hit with another one of those poison-type attacks. I'm going to use her speed to our advantage,' Ash thought.

''Nidorina, use Venoshock!'' Gary said.

''Rapidash, wait for the right moment to dodge, and then use Stomp!''

The fire-type nodded, her well-developed muscles rearing her back legs to life. In an instant, they connected with Nidorina's jaw when she tried to rush in, sending her flying backwards. Needless to say, she didn't get up after that.

''Good job, Rapidash! You did it!'' Ash praised her. He gave her hug, which she eagerly accepted.

Gary wordlessly returned his fainted pokemon back to her pokeball, his smirk still on his face. ''Well, it went as smoothly as I would've expected it to go. Ash, you're a serious contender to win the Indigo League. If I want to beat you, I better step up my game. I've decided to commit myself to a training schedule my gramps made for me. At the end of today, I'll go back to Pallet and train there to prep myself.''

Gary snickered. ''Who would've thought you to be the kid with the legendary? Such a beautiful legendary too. Meloetta truly is a stunning pokemon.''

''Mel mel,'' Meloetta replied humbly.

''Anyway, Ash. I've booked a room in the pokemon center a couple of miles down the road. I believe you were about to head inside this flower shop until I interrupted you. I'm going to wait here until gramps arrives to pick me up.''

Ash nodded his head in understanding.

''Oh, and also, your mom will be visiting too.''

''My mom is coming?'' Ash asked incredulously.

As if to answer his rhetorical question, a jeep was approaching from the horizon with the silhouette of a brunette woman waving her hand in the air.

''Mom.''

* * *

 **So there you have it, people. Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review, please. I love reviews! They're like good syrup on a waffle. :D Next chapter: girl time with Meloetta and Delia. Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	27. Girl time

**Next chapter is here, enjoy people! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, the anime wouldn't make up random moves that don't exist or make no sense whatsoever.**

* * *

 **~Guest:** **There is no cute ground type for Pikachu, so you should scrap that.**

 **Never had the intention to give Pikachu a ground-type GF. ;)**

 **~Guest: I** **can never find anything that makes me not like this story, every chapter is just amazing...** **Looking forward to your next chapter.**

 **Thanks a lot! Hope you like how I portrayed Delia here. ^^**

 **~DragonClawFromQ: After so many years of fighting Gary and blue and reading about them in a so much fanfiction, I've never seen him act like this much of a pushover.**

 **Ash is just that strong, and he gained Gary's respect. :)**

* * *

''Meloetta!'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

Ash's smile was contagious, to say the least. The rapidly approaching Jeep, which was driven by none other than professor Oak himself, had his mother waving at him enthusiastically.

''Ash, honey!'' Delia yelled over the sound of the car.

''Mom! Hey!'' Ash waved back excitedly. He'd kept contact with his mother almost daily. But this was the first time he could actually hug her ever since he began his journey, and that's exactly what he did.

When the Jeep pulled to a stop in front of the flower shop, Ash leapt into his mother's outstretched arms with the joy of a small child. ''Mom! I've missed you so much!''

''Oh, Ash! I've missed you too,'' Delia replied to her son warmly, gently holding him in her embrace. ''And look at all the cute pokemon you've caught! They're even more adorable than seeing them on the big screen,'' she added, eyeing each of them with delight in her eyes.

Ash's pokemon all gave exciting cries of their names.

''Yay! Grandma!'' Sylveon cheered, followed closely with Azumarill in tow.

''Hi Sylveon and Azumarill. You guys have grown a lot, haven't you?'' Delia greeted them.

''Syl!''

''Azu!''

Delia giggled, and petted them both while Rapidash, Pikachu and Meloetta watched.

''Ash definitely has his kindness from his mom,'' Pikachu noted.

Meloetta nodded her head. ''She's one of the sweetest women I've ever had the pleasure to meet.''

''My father could learn a lot from her,'' Rapidash added. ''She's so nice.''

Meanwhile, professor Oak had gotten out of the car as well. ''Ash, Gary. It's good to see both of you doing fine. Though I expected nothing less from you boys,'' he said.

''You got it, gramps,'' Gary replied, ''though I've to train a lot more if I want to defeat the hero kid over there,'' he joked, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at Ash.

''You weren't using your strongest pokemon, Gary. Rapidash wouldn't have stood a chance against your Blastoise, and I'm not sure about Sylveon either,'' Ash said with a smile.

''But you weren't either, Ashy-boy,'' Gary countered, grinning. ''So, in the end, I've to train either way.''

Professor Oak patted his grandson on his back, while Delia—after greeting and giving affection to all of Ash's pokemon—was chatting with Ash. ''So,'' professor Oak started, ''did you get what you were looking for?''

Gary shook his head. ''No, unfortunately. The guy who owns this flower shop is a renowned geologist, but even he doesn't have a Moon Stone for sale. I've searched Mt. Moon high and low as well, but I couldn't find any. I don't know how else I'm going to evolve my Nidorina.''

Professor Oak looked thoughtfully. ''And that item you won at a pokemon tourney wasn't a Moon Stone either?''

''No, it wasn't. The rumors were that the prize was a rare item and that it would _surely evolve your pokemon,_ but when I won the tourney, it wasn't even a stone. It was a capsule.''

''A capsule, you say?'' Oak asked.

Gary shrugged his shoulders. ''I don't know what I can do with it either. It looks like some sort of pokemon vitamin like an Iron or Zinc, but I'm not going to give it to one of my pokemon unless I'm sure what it does. Hence why I want you to look at it.''

Professor Oak nodded his head. ''Very wise indeed. I shall analyze it once we're at the pokemon center.'' He now looked at Delia and Ash. ''Are you guys coming with us?''

''I actually want to look inside this flower shop for a while,'' Delia admitted, and then her eyes gleamed. ''Oh, Meloetta, sweetie! What do you say you accompany me for a bit? Just the two of us? It's been so long since I've went shopping with a friend!'' She gave the petite legendary a kind smile.

''Mel mel!'' she agreed instantly. It was a perfect opportunity to buy something nice for Ash. Beside the flower shop, there were some clothing shops and a bakery too.

''Wonderful! Now you boys move along. We'll meet you at the pokemon center.'' Both Delia and Meloetta giggled as they went inside, while Oak and Pikachu looked at them flatly. 'Women,' they thought.

''Okay! We'll see you at the pokemon center!'' Ash had called after them. He then faced Gary and professor Oak. ''I'll go on Rapidash, if you don't mind.''

''Sure,'' Oak responded. ''Gary and I will book a room in the meantime.''

The two drove off while Ash mounted his fire-type. ''Okay, Rapidash! Let's roll!''

* * *

The sweet fragrances of the flower shop reminded Meloetta of the box of perfumes they'd gotten from Erika after defeating her. It was almost overwhelming. Yet Meloetta couldn't help but look in awe at all the amazing colors of the flowers. It was like she was a kid in a candy shop.

''Now Meloetta, dear. Which flowers would you like to give to Ash?'' she asked the legendary. Delia's tone was teasing, something that didn't go unnoticed by Meloetta, who blushed in embarrassment while Delia giggled.

''Don't be shy now,'' Delia cooed, ''Do you really think I wouldn't notice you two had a thing going on? The way how you latch on to my son whenever he gives me a call makes it very obvious, love. I think you make a rather adorable couple,'' she said, smiling sweetly.

Meloetta's cheeks were burning hotly now. She had hoped Ash's mom would be ignorant about their relationship for a little while longer until she had bonded with her some more, but she had known all along, and apparently she was okay with it too. That was a huge relief from Meloetta's shoulders, at least. Not everybody was okay with a pokemon and human relationship. Meloetta wondered why Delia was so open about it, but decided not to question it.

''Melo mel,'' she replied shyly, a small smile forming on her lips.

''Are you trying to tell me that you like Ash?''

Meloetta nodded her head. It wasn't exactly what she said, but it was close enough.

''So, did you kiss him already?'' Delia now asked teasingly.

''Mel!'' Meloetta replied with a squeak, her cheeks turning a shade of scarlet to color of a beet. She now began to understand how embarrassing a mom could be.

At the same time, a buff looking guy entered the shop with a Scrafty and Krookodile behind him. He was definitely from out of Kanto, that was for sure. His carried himself with an air of superiority. As such, he didn't care his bulking physique smashed flower pots from their racks here and there. His faced stayed stoic the whole time.

''C-can I help you?'' a rather small woman at the cashier asked. The hulking giant didn't say anything, and just pointed at the most expensive flowers in the entire shop; the Kanto Dragon Orchid.

When the frightened employee had carefully gotten the flowers, holding them out to him with shaking hands, the big guy was about to leave with them without paying, however, Delia and Meloetta were blocking the exit rather effectively.

''Out of my way,'' he replied gruffly. ''I don't want to hurt you.''

''I think you got it wrong here. We're not going to leave until you've paid for those flowers and all the flower pots you broke,'' Delia replied with a scowl.

''You've got nerve. I'll give you three seconds to move.''

Delia looked at Meloetta competitively. ''Well, I've left Mimey home to take care of the house, but I did bring two of my old pokemon when I went to Alola years ago. Let's battle this guy together!''

She threw two pokeballs in the air, and out came a Ribombee and a Mimikyu, two pokemon Meloetta had never seen before. They were both small and adorable, but one look at them also told her they were quite powerful.

''Your time's up,'' the buff guy said. ''Boys,'' he directed to his pokemon, ''Go get them.''

* * *

Five minutes later—and without the help of Meloetta—the buff guy was dealt with accordingly. The owner of the shop had been on his lunch break when the incident happened. When he had heard everything from his employee, he was more than grateful. ''Please Mrs. Ketchum, I insist. Take these Kanto Dragon Orchids with you as a reward,'' he offered the woman.

''I couldn't possibly take them. They're so expensive!'' she rebutted.

''Nonsense. The safety of my employees is far more important to me.''

This went back and forth for a while, until Delia finally gave in and accepted the luscious bundle of flowers from the owner.

''Melo melo!'' Meloetta spoke up when they both headed outside and into the direction of the clothing store.

''They are very pretty, I agree, Meloetta. Or were you talking about the power of my pokemon?''

The legendary made a gesture that she meant the latter and Delia giggled. ''Ash is not the only one who's dream is to become the very best, like no one ever was,'' she revealed. ''You see, when I was younger I used to have the same dream. I was a serious trainer back then. But things changed a lot when I got Ash. I was still a teenager, almost reaching the age of twenty. The responsibilities forced me to quit being a trainer and take care of my little boy.'' She looked at Meloetta to gauge her reaction and gave her a wink. ''Now that Ash has been out of the house, I've been able to train a bit again,'' she explained joyfully. ''Both my Ribombee and Mimikyu are in pretty good shape, wouldn't you agree?''

Meloetta nodded her head. They'd no trouble taking down that Krookodile and Scrafty. Although they had a massive type advantage, that was still very impressive. She also had a lot of respect for Delia; giving up on her dream to take care of Ash instead must've been no small feat, especially at such a young age.

Not much later, when the two had walked into the clothing store, Meloetta instantly knew what she was going to buy for Ash.

''A new hat? That's a nice gift,'' Delia said sweetly. Once they were done shopping, they stopped at the bakery for some sweets, and then headed into the direction of the pokemon center.

''I'm sure everybody's going to love these cinnamon rolls,'' Delia chatted. ''Especially Ash.''

Meloetta had to giggle at that remark. Ash really loved to eat, especially if it was something sweet like a pastry.

''Did Ash battle Gary just before we arrived, by the way?'' Delia asked curiously. ''It looked like they had a friendly brawl going on.''

Meloetta nodded her head, and explained as best as she could how the battle went down.

''I see. They grow up so fast, don't they? Not just Ash and Gary, but you and the other pokemon as well. Poor Nidorina, though. Gary's been searching crazy for a Moon Stone to evolve her, and when he thought he finally won one, it was something else instead.''

''Mel?'' the legendary questioned.

''Oh, didn't you hear a couple hours ago? Gary was talking to the professor how he won an item that was a capsule instead of a Moon Stone. They're probably analyzing it right now.''

'A capsule? Could it be?' Meloetta's eyes went wide for a moment. 'And Ash has a Moon Stone he got from that crazy scientist guy too!' Immediately, the petite legendary began to drag Delia along with her Psychic.

''H-hold on, Meloetta! What's the rush all of a sudden?''

She didn't answer, and only gave a melodic chirp. Soon, the pokemon center was in sight and the happy legendary shot inside. Several trainers looked at her in awe, while Delia followed her in bewilderment

'I'm about to kill two Pidgey with one stone!' she thought happily.

Once they had found the room Ash, Gary and professor Oak were staying in, they were greeted by them warmly. When Meloetta had shown Ash his new hat—who was overjoyed by the gift—he decided to wear it instead of his old one, and he jokingly placed that hat on top of Pikachu. ''There, buddy. Now you can be a pokemon trainer too.''

Surprisingly enough, it fit him rather well. ''Oh wow, it really suits you, Pikachu,'' Ash then said genuinely. He definitely had that cuteness factor going on, with his ears being pinned against his head thanks to the accessory.

''Chaa!'' he replied, apparently very grateful that his trainer gave him an item that was so precious to him. ''I'm going to wear this with pride!'' he exclaimed. Both Meloetta and Delia giggled.

''I've also got a surprise for you, Pikachu,'' Meloetta suddenly said, her voice almost overflowing with happiness.

''Oh? Did you buy something for me too?''

''Not exactly, but you'll see. Just watch.''

Meloetta floated over to Ash's backpack, and rummaged through the various items, until she found the Moon Stone. Picking it up, she floated over to an astonished looking Gary and held it out to him.

''That's a Moon Stone!'' he exclaimed. ''Ashy-boy! You had one all along? I really need it to evolve my Nidorina. I know Meloetta is already offering it to me, but are you okay with it too?''

Ash hesitated for a moment, but then Meloetta pointed to the capsule professor Oak was researching and let her voice be heard. ''Meloetta mel melo mel!''

''You mean to say you want to trade the Moon Stone for Gary's capsule? But we don't even know what it does yet, do we, professor?''

''Not yet,'' he muttered. ''Although it looks very familiar. I'm sure I've seen a couple before on my travels, but that's a long time ago. It's certainly as rare as the Moon Stone, so trading the items would be fair.''

''Melo Melo,'' Meloetta said, enveloping the capsule in her Psychic.

''Hey! I was not done with that yet!'' Professor Oak said almost desperately. However, Meloetta just blew him a teasing raspberry, and offered Gary the option to trade the items again.

''I guess Meloetta knows what it does,'' Gary noted. She nodded her head and pointed at Pikachu.

''It's something for Pikachu?'' Ash questioned doubtfully. Pikachu perked a brow too.

''You're not telling me you're going to feed me that pill, right?'' he asked flatly.

''I sure am!'' she chirped.

Not much later, Gary had accepted the trade with Ash's approval and a shrug of his shoulders, more than happy he finally had a Moon Stone. Once that was arranged, everybody looked expectantly at Pikachu when Meloetta handed him the capsule.

''This is my gift to you,'' she whispered sweetly. ''I hope you like it.''

Her words were filled with so much warmth and genuine care that Pikachu shredded all his suspicion. With a bit of hesitation, he took the pill. He glowed brightly for just a split second, and then gave a burp. ''Huh, that was weird,'' he muttered. ''What just happened?''

Some of Professor Oak's old memories resurfaced, and he instantly remembered what the purpose of that capsule was. ''Now I remember!'' he exclaimed. But before he could explain, Meloetta was already showing the effect.

She had wrapped herself around Pikachu affectionately, nuzzling her cheek against his. ''Admittedly, I've wanted to do this for quite some time now,'' she said lovingly, while Pikachu was panicking greatly.

''What are you doing? Stop! In a moment, you'll be paralyzed worse than a Caterpie about to be swooped by a Pidgeotto!''

However, Meloetta kept rubbing her cheek against his, much to his embarrassment, and instead of his Static activating, nothing happened.

''It seems the Ability Capsule has worked splendidly,'' Meloetta cooed.

''What do you mean? And stop hugging me!'' the embarrassed electric-type said.

''None can do, Pikachu. You've to endure it.''

Pikachu groaned while Oak explained. ''An Ability Capsule can change the ability of a pokemon. Meloetta is showing it quite effectively, since Pikachu's Static is no longer present. Now, he has the ability Lightning Rod, which means all electric-type moves have no effect and instead increases Pikachu's special attack by one.''

''Wow, really?'' Ash asked with a big smile. ''That's so great!''

Pikachu was in shock for a moment. ''You… you took my Static away,'' he muttered to Meloetta.

''I told you I was going to find a solution,'' she whispered, her embrace caring. ''Now find a girlfriend already so I can tease you for eternity.''

Instead of laughing or making a teasing joke of his own, Pikachu held back his tears. ''Thank you,'' he said genuinely, and reciprocated the hug at last. Meloetta cooed and held him close.

'They really are one big family,' Delia thought warmly as she saw Ash scooping up both Pikachu and Meloetta in his arms and hugging them tightly. 'I'm so proud of you, Ash. You've already grown up so much. I'm sure that your father would be proud too.'

* * *

 **So there it is! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please, I love them even more than Waffles. :D Next time, Sylveon and the battling Eevee brothers. Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	28. Eevee galore

**Next chapter is here, folks! Enjoy ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, characters from the game would have their own anime.**

* * *

 **~Guest:** **Ooooo, I can't wait for the battle of the Eevees!**

 **You don't have to wait any longer. Here it is. :)**

* * *

''Meloetta!'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

While making their way to Cinnabar Island for their seventh badge, Ash and his pokemon arrived for a quick stop in Stone Town.

''The place looks almost deserted. I wonder why that is,'' Ash noted while riding his Rapidash. She slowly trotted through the empty streets as Ash was looking for a pokemon center.

''Melo,'' his legendary pokemon replied. ''Mel Meloetta.''

''Hm? You sense people up ahead, Meloetta?''

She nodded her head and pointed at a massive villa in the distance. Pikachu let out a low whistle at the sight.

''Whoever owns that place sure is living the good life,'' he said with a smile on his muzzle. Ever since Meloetta got him that Ability Capsule which changed his Static to Lightning Rod, the electric-type had been in a good mood. Right now, he was proudly wearing Ash's old Kanto hat while sitting on his right shoulder.

''I don't know, Pikachu,'' Rapidash replied honestly. ''I mean, we don't have much, but I'm happier than I've ever been back on the ranch.''

''I have to agree with Rapidash,'' Meloetta chimed in. ''Back in Unova, I had a very kind owner who took really good care of me, but people who I actually got to call family…'' She shook her head. ''Ever since I joined Ash on his journey, I began to realize what I've been missing all these years.''

Pikachu hummed in contentment. ''You girls have a good point. I guess some things we just take for granted, but now that you mention it, becoming Ash's pokemon has changed my life drastically,'' he said, and then added, ''so much even, I almost can't imagine what it was like when I still lived in the wild!'' He nuzzled Ash's cheek, who giggled and petted him back in return.

''Ash has changed all of our lives. It's in his very nature. I guess it's the reason why I love him so much,'' Meloetta admitted happily.

Pikachu grinned. ''You mean that's why you want to press your lips against his lips every minute of the day. Are you sure you're not just practicing your Draining Kiss on him?'' he teased.

Rapidash giggled while Meloetta pouted, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. ''I can't learn Draining Kiss, and if I could, I wouldn't use it on Ash. That'd be counterproductive; he wouldn't have any energy left after a single kiss.''

Pikachu blew her a raspberry. ''You would still try it just to experiment if it's any better or not.''

''I would not!'' she denied cutely by crossing her arms, even though she knew that Pikachu was right.

''It sure must be nice to have a boyfriend,'' Rapidash stated dreamily. ''All the affection you can share, the teasing of your best friend you've to endure.''

Pikachu laughed heartily, which in turn deepened Meloetta's blush.

''Oh shut up, you two,'' she replied playfully. ''I'll get Pikachu back plenty when he gets a girlfriend. _If_ he gets a girlfriend.'' She gave the electric-type a wink. ''You've got Lighting Rod as your ability now, yet still no cute female pokemon at your side. How is that possible?''

Immediately, Pikachu's laughter died down in his throat, and he coughed awkwardly. ''Ah... you see... I just haven't met the right type for me yet and—''

''Awww, is Pikachu a bit shy to approach a girl?'' Meloetta cooed in a teasing manner.

''I am not!'' he squeaked.

Meloetta and Rapidash both laughed at his response, which made Pikachu grumble.

'Girls,' he thought sourly.

* * *

Not much later, Ash had arrived at the villa, which was holding a big garden party. A lot of food was present on the tables; there were a lot of very exotic Kanto pokemon with their trainers as well.

''Wow, awesome,'' Ash exclaimed.

Some of the guests looked at him after his exuberant cry, and then their eyes widened in sudden realization. ''Hey everybody! It's the hero kid of Kanto! He's came for a visit!''

Loud claps and cheers were heard from all the people present, which made Ash rub his head awkwardly. ''Gee, thanks, you guys. But I don't think I deserve all this praise.''

''Nonsense!'' A young, masculine voice spoke up. He was one of the four brothers who owned the place. His hair was yellow, and a Jolteon was at his side. Behind him were two boys who looked a lot like him, only their hair was red and blue, and at their side was a Flareon and Vaporeon respectively.

''You defeated Team Rocket single-handedly, and showed all of us here how important it is to evolve your pokemon! Evolution equals bigger, and thus, more power as well. It's no wonder all Ancient pokemon are fully evolved, just like your Dragonite is!''

A lot of the guests nodded their heads. Then, the brother with the yellow hair stepped forward. ''Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Sparky, and these are my brothers Pyro and Rainer. We're known as the Eevee brothers.''

''Hi, it's nice to meet you,'' Ash said as he dismounted his Rapidash, patting her side softly afterwards. ''What's the garden party for?''

Sparky pointed to his youngest brother, who was sitting at one of the tables with his Eevee in his lap. ''That's Mikey. Today, he's going to evolve his Eevee with one of the evolutionary stones we've collected. In honour of evolution everywhere, we threw this party to commemorate the moment.''

''And we all know which stone he's going to choose,'' Rainer added. ''The water stone!''

Pyro looked at him as if he grew an extra head. ''What do you mean? We all know Flareon is way better than Vaporeon!''

''No way! Vaporeon is the way to go!''

''Guys, guys,'' Sparky butted in, ''you're both wrong. Obviously, he will choose Jolteon!''

Ash and his pokemon all looked owlishly at the squabbling brothers going back and forth. ''Are they serious?'' Ash whispered to Pikachu, Meloetta and Rapidash.

''They are,'' Pikachu responded back flatly. ''I don't believe they know that there are more than three eeveelutions either.''

''Well, at least their intentions are in the right place, right?'' Rapidash said, not sounding very convinced.

Meloetta stifled a giggle. ''Ash?''

''Right.'' He cleared his throat. ''Hey guys,'' the raven haired trainer said, effectively getting their attention. ''I know it's none of my business, but have you actually asked Mikey what he wants? Does he even want to evolve his Eevee, for that matter?''

''Of course he does!'' Sparky responded. ''Watch.'' He beckoned to his little brother. ''Mikey! Come here for a sec!''

The youngest of the four brothers—carrying his Eevee in his arms—obediently walked to his older brother.

''Mikey! This is Ash, the hero kid of Kanto. He wants to know in which pokemon you're going to evolve Eevee.''

Mikey looked at Ash unsurely, before answering. ''Actually, I don't want to evolve Eevee at all.''

''What!?'' Sparky, Pyro and Rainer all yelled simultaneously. ''Don't you know that evolution is power? As a trainer, you've to make your pokemon strong! An Eevee is never going to win a gym badge if it isn't evolved. All of us evolved our Eevee before challenging a gym, and we all won.''

''But I don't care about gym battles. I only care about Eevee,'' he argued.

''If you care about Eevee, then you will evolve him! You've three options. So, what's it going to be?''

''Actually,'' Ash chimed in, ''there are eight different choices. And even then, Mikey doesn't have to evolve his Eevee right away, right? I mean, my Eevee won me a badge just fine.''

The three brothers looked dumbly at Ash. ''You mean to say there are more than three different pokemon Eevee can evolve into?''

Pikachu ignored the huge urge to face palm. ''How dense can these guys be?''

''Don't be so harsh on them, Pikachu,'' Meloetta sang. ''They've just never been out of Kanto or took time to educate themselves properly.''

''Ouch. Since when did you learn Will-o-wisp?'' Pikachu grinned.

Meloetta giggled and nudged Ash softly.

''Melo mel?''

''Ah, right. Rather than telling, I can show you guys.'' Ash threw Sylveon's pokeball in the air, and showed them his fairy-type, who let out a cute cry.

''Unbelievable!'' They all muttered, looking closely at her if she was a deity descended from the heavens, which made her pretty uncomfortable. ''What stone did you use to evolve her?''

''Syl?'' she questioned, afraid, before Ash picked her up, his arms going around her protectively. ''Ah… no stone. Only affection.''

This time, Mikey's eyes began to shine. ''Wow, really? I want my Eevee to evolve like that!''

Ash smiled, and allowed Mikey to pet Sylveon, who didn't seem to mind now that the prying eyes of the brothers were not on her anymore. ''It's easy. You just gotta be a little patient and take very good care of your Eevee.''

''Okay! I shall love him lots. I already do, but I'm going to love him even more now!''

''Wait! Now, hold on for a sec, Mikey!'' Sparky said. ''Who knows how long that will take? If you use a stone, your Eevee will evolve right now.''

''But I don't want to. I want Eevee to evolve when he's ready.''

''C'mon, Mikey. This is for your own good. Just pick a stone already and be done with it.''

Ash grew a little annoyed with how pushy Sparky, Pyro and Rainer were. It was obvious Mikey had already made a decision, and a very mature one at that, yet his brothers were making the whole ordeal a lot harder than it should be.

''Now guys, let's give your little brother a break. Why not let him decide when he's going to evolve his Eevee?'' Ash said gently. However, the brothers looked offended.

''We know what's best for our little brother, okay? He's going to use a stone, and not affection. Your Sylveon doesn't even look that strong to begin with. She looks pretty meek.''

Ash's gentle behaviour stopped existing right then and there. Sylveon too, felt the need to prove herself.

''Daddy, let me show them how strong I am,'' she whispered.

Ash nodded at her, and then turned his attention back to the brothers. ''Okay. Why not settle this with a little battle then?'' Ash suggested. ''My Sylveon against your Jolteon, Flareon and Vaporeon. If I win, Mikey can decide himself. If you guys win, he has to choose a stone.''

The brothers looked like they were going to laugh, huddled close for a moment, and then gave their reply. ''One versus three? This is going to be a cakewalk. All right then, let's do this!''

Flareon, Vaporeon and Jolteon all got in a battle stance, but the moment they saw Sylveon, horror gripped them by the throat. While they were all older, they could feel how much more powerful their younger opponent was. If they didn't know any better, they were sure her ability was Intimidate.

''Go get them, squirt! Don't hurt them too much!'' Pikachu cheered.

''Dearie, don't destroy them utterly, okay? They have to fight another day,'' Rapidash said, already feeling sorry for them.

''Let them have it, sweetie! Good luck!'' Meloetta chirped.

''Thanks aunties and uncle. This will be over swiftly,'' she promised, and looked at her opponents dangerously.

Flareon, Vaporeon and jolteon all swallowed audibly in fear. It was like they were facing a legendary. Then, Sparky gave the first command. ''Jolteon, Pin Missile, let's go!''

* * *

The battle didn't even last ten minutes. Sylveon made quick work of Flareon first. That only left Jolteon and Vaporeon, who stood no chance against her incredible defenses. When Jolteon went down, Vaporeon was too afraid to battle any longer, leaving Sylveon the indisputable victor.

''How's that possible?'' the brothers muttered in humiliation. They were entirely outclassed.

''It's simple,'' Ash said maturely, ''while evolving a pokemon with a stone does give a boost in strength, great synergy with the trainer and the right moves might still lack. My Sylveon is only this strong because she knows exactly how to battle under my command. We're completely in sync with each other. Isn't that right, girl?''

''Syl!'' she cried joyously while nuzzling Ash.

''Look, maybe Mikey's Eevee won't be very strong yet for the time being, but when he does evolve, he probably has the moves and the synergy. Training him then will become very easy.''

The three brothers looked thoughtful for a moment, before Sparky sighed. ''I guess you're right. We just wanted Mikey to become a trainer capable of handling himself.'' He looked at his youngest brother. ''Mikey, we're sorry. From now on, you may decide when and how you're going to evolve your Eevee yourself.''

Mikey's smile couldn't be wider. ''Thank you, big brothers!''

''And thank you too, Ash, for helping us realize this. Your Sylveon is everything but meek. It's the strongest pokemon I've ever battled,'' Sparky admitted. The other brothers nodded their head in agreement.

''It's okay, guys. I'm glad this all got sorted out. Now then… Can I eat some of that delicious looking food over there?''

Ash's pokemon and the four brothers all laughed at his antics. If pokemon weren't on his mind, it had to be food.

* * *

 **That's all for today, folks! So did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews cheer up my day! :D Next chapter Dragonite versus the remaining Team Rocket agents: Butch, Cassidy, Jessie, James and Meowth. Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	29. Cinnabar Rim

**New chapter, guys! Enjoy. ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon would feature new Alola pokemon instead of only fusions and UB's.**

* * *

 **~Guest:** **Will she have a shape shifting ability?**

 **No.**

 **~Guest:** **There better be some training soon. And some more captures.**

 **No more captures, maybe a bit more training later on.**

 **~Guest:** **MAN if my notifications told me these last 2 chapters where I out would have read them sooner...** **Keep up the beautiful work!**

 **Thanks a lot for the praise and kind words! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

* * *

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

At last, Ash and his pokemon arrived on Cinnabar Island. The raven haired trainer couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Locals always stated Cinnabar Island was Kanto's own little piece of Alola, and from what he saw, he had to agree.

''Wow, this place is almost like a paradise,'' he noted. Pikachu and Meloetta nodded their heads. They were both perched neatly on top of Ash's shoulders as they looked around.

Palm trees bristled soothingly in the salty breeze of the wind, and the temperature was nothing but pleasant. The city itself was pretty old, but that gave it its charm. It was like they went on a trip back in time.

''Can you imagine most cities used to look like this a few hundred years ago?'' Meloetta chirped to Pikachu.

''Barely. Cinnabar Island almost looks like a museum.''

''I think it's very cool, though. Ever since skyscrapers were introduced, cities began to grow cold and business like. Cinnabar Island has none of that!''

Pikachu nodded his head. ''I've to agree with you on that one. I think Azumarill and Sylveon would enjoy it. Not sure about Rapidash or Dragonite.''

''I'm sure they can appreciate something like this as well,'' Meloetta responded. She then turned her attention to Ash, and pointed to an old mansion just on the outskirt of the city. It looked pretty abandoned.

''Melo mel!'' she sang adventurously.

''Huh? You want to explore that place, Meloetta?''

She nodded her head, while Pikachu gave her a flat look. ''You're kidding, right? You know I hate abandoned places. It gives me the creeps,'' he complained.

''Oh, come on now, Pikachu, it'll be fun. Legends say Mewtwo was born in that mansion. Maybe we find something cool!''

''Or maybe we find a bunch of ghost pokemon who only want to mess with you.'' Pikachu surely hadn't forgotten that stunt the Haunter in Lavender town pulled on him.

''Don't worry. I'll handle those ghost-types and their shenanigans. It'll be fun, I promise.''

Pikachu sighed, rubbed his temple and then gave a reluctant nod to her. ''Oh, all right, then. But not for too long. I'm kinda hungry, so I want to go to the pokemon center as soon as possible.''

Meloetta cooed, gave Pikachu a nuzzle and then a soft series of cries to Ash to show Pikachu was okay with it too.

''Great! Then let's go to the old mansion right now,'' Ash said joyfully.

* * *

Inside the old mansion, five sinister shadows were whispering to each other nervously. Hidden cameras had picked up someone approaching, and once they saw the face of the raven haired trainer, they knew they were in trouble.

''We can't let the twerp get inside, he'll find us sooner or later, and then Project M will be busted,'' Jessie whispered.

''Jessie, dear,'' Cassidy remarked, ''we simply have to use our defense mechanism. Combining our talents together will provide professor Zumba with enough time to evacuate and bring the prototype to the boss.''

The other Rocket agents nodded their heads. ''I say we give him a little surprise right now,'' Butch suggested.

''Yeah, good idea, Botch,'' James agreed.

''It's Butch!''

* * *

Just when Ash and his pokemon were about to enter the old mansion, the ground began to shake and rumble heavily, like an earthquake, or even like when Dragonite would move over land. It definitely had that odd familiarity, Ash noted, and he dreaded what it could possibly be.

The shaking and rumbling got louder, and now Ash realized it definitely was something _big_ moving slowly towards their destination.

Meloetta's eyes narrowed. She sensed this was not _one_ being, but multiple beings all seemingly floating in the air, like they were sitting in a cock-pit of a massive robot. Not a second later, she realized this was exactly the case.

''Meloetta, Melo mel!'' she warned her trainer. She had a vague suspicion who was controlling the robot, which would soon be visible looming over the mansion, and with each step the mechanical contraption took to get closer, that suspicion was proven to be right.

''Please tell me you're not being serious,'' Ash asked desperately, but he could smell the stench of oil now, the metallic frame of the robot creaking as it was forced into movement. It was huge, even when the robot wasn't visible yet; Ash could tell by the vibrations that almost threatened to sink Cinnabar Island back into the ocean.

The raven haired trainer backed off slowly, and gave a single nod to both Pikachu and Meloetta. ''Get all the people and pokemon into safety, Dragonite will handle this.''

The two pokemon went to work immediately, while Ash threw a pokeball into the air. ''Dragonite, I choose you!'' he shouted. The giant, ancient Dragon-type appeared, and he instantly saw what was wrong.

Not too far from him, a giant robot, with the letter R printed in bold and red paining on the front of its frame, was steadily heading towards the old mansion.

Then, a loudspeaker came to life and the robot halted. ''Ash Ketchum, prepare for trouble,'' a familiar, feminine voice said.

''And we're here with back-up, so make it double,'' a somewhat masculine, but still very familiar voice added.

Ash cut them off right then and there. He ordered Dragonite to use Extreme Speed, and when he made contact, the robot was smashed backwards, sliding over its back until it made a massive splash all the way into the ocean.

''Dragonite, I've had it with Team Rocket and their idiotic motto,'' Ash said dangerously. ''I want you to go _all out_ on that robot. Tear it to pieces so we can capture those Rocket agents and put them in jail where they belong.''

The Dragon-type roared at the top of his lungs. Frankly, he was pretty tired of Team Rocket too. 'Finally,' he thought, grinning happily, 'I can get to exert some pent up energy.'

The robot, while not being as big as Dragonite, didn't have a scratch on its exterior, however. The Team Rocket agents laughed as they got up, tightly secured in their chairs.

''You think we weren't prepared for Dragonite? His Extreme Speed and Dragon Claw attacks are useless, just like his Wing attack is. Whatever you do, this robot won't be damaged by it!'' Butch boldly declared.

''Yeah! This baby here is indestructible,'' Meowth added. ''Eventually, Dragonite will tire out, and then we capture him, just like we did to your Meloetta.''

Ash, in turn, said nothing. If they really were telling the truth, then it had no point attacking them head on. It would only be stalling the inevitable. Still, he wanted to test that hypothesis, before going over to plan B. So he ordered his Dragonite again.

''Use Dragon Claw, full force!'' Ash cried out.

The Rocket goons laughed obnoxiously. ''This robot is like a Fairy-type. It'll do absolutely nothing.''

Confidently, they watched how the massive Dragonite raised his arm in a slashing motion. Pure draconic energy began to dance on the tip of his claws, before he brought it down again with an earth-shaking roar.

Like expected, the energy dissipated on contact, but the massive claw certainly didn't. The robot was smacked away like a rag-doll, something the Rocket goons hadn't anticipated at all. They cried out in surprise, the attack hitting way harder than the Extreme Speed. While the robot hadn't sustained any damage, the people inside the robot did suffer some nasty blows, even when they were tightly secured.

'Just as I thought. Dragonite's attacks really don't do any damage on the outside, but on the inside, those goons probably have it rough. I'll take them away from Cinnabar Island and then let Dragonite unleash his ultimate attack. See how they'll fare then.'

''Ugh… what happened?'' Cassidy asked groggily. She felt like she just came out of a rollercoaster track with a couple of loop-de-loops and corkscrews. The other Rocket agents weren't doing any better. They were completely disoriented for a minute or two before they regained their senses.

When they did, they noticed they were flying, which was completely ludicrous since this robot was way too heavy to be able to fly. Then, with growing dread they realized it was Ash's Dragonite carrying them.

''Hey! What are you doing? Let go of us!'' Meowth screamed.

The ancient pokemon rumbled in what Meowth only could acknowledge as a chuckle. ''As you wish,'' he said thunderously.

Meowth's eyes widened, his body feeling weightless for a second, before gravity's strong grip pulled the robot downwards like a sack of flour.

The Rocket Agents screamed, and from their view, they saw Dragonite following them downwards like a meteor. The ancient pokemon had carried them above a tiny, uninhabited island, where they crashed violently into the ground.

As if it couldn't get any worse, Ash had ordered Dragonite to use Earthquake, and he was going to do that exactly on top of the unmoving Team Rocket robot. With immense speed, he brought down his entire weight on the mecha, the momentum shift and force so big that the entire island sunk back into the ocean with the violence only mother nature or a legendary pokemon could produce.

A massive earthquake followed, as well as a large tsunami traveling at a 360 degree angle away from what once was the small unnamed island. If Ash hadn't warned Meloetta beforehand, nothing would've been left of Cinnabar Island and everything around it.

Miraculously, the robot of Team Rocket did survive, albeit this time, it had gotten damaged severely. The Rocket agents were all knocked out cold, and once Dragonite had forced them out of the robot, he flew back to Cinnabar, where Meloetta had stopped the earthquake and tsunami before it could do any damage.

A couple of officers were already waiting, and they took the Team Rocket agents away. Ash sighed loudly, and shook his head while looking at his Dragonite.

''Thank you. You did great out there,'' he praised.

''It was nothing, Ash,'' he replied gently, although it was still like talking to a thunderstorm. ''It felt great going all out for once. Team Rocket's robot was strong, but it lacked power and speed.''

''Not really a challenge, big guy?'' Meloetta chirped.

He shrugged his shoulders. ''Not like you were. Maybe we ought to have a rematch sometime.''

The petite legendary giggled. ''Sure. I'm all up for a nice fight.''

''I do wonder why Team Rocket showed up so suddenly,'' Pikachu muttered. ''They interrupted us right before we were going to enter the old mansion.''

''You're right,'' Meloetta agreed. ''I actually tried to scan the old mansion earlier, but it's entirely blocked off with some sort of dark-type material. My psychic can't go through it.''

''Well, whatever is down there, it should be long gone now,'' Dragonite brought in. ''That robot felt more like a distraction than a real threat to me.''

Both Pikachu and Meloetta nodded, while Ash got the gist of what his pokemon were talking about and hummed. Deep in thought, he wondered himself what Team Rocket was so desperately hiding for the rest of the world.

* * *

Deep inside the Viridian city gym, Giovanni was patiently listening to professor Namba. His report was a speck of good news through all the gloomy clouds Team Rocket found themselves in lately. A small, satisfied smile crept on his lips. It seemed that every cloud had a silver lining after all.

''Boss, the prototype has shown amazing results! It should be fully functional in a week.''

''Excellent, professor Naga! It is a shame we had to give up our remaining Team Rocket agents. It's just you and me now. But, I assure you. Once Project M is running, Team Rocket shall rise to its former glory, and it's all thanks to Ash and Meloetta.''

Giovanni petted his Persian, who purred loudly. ''The data we managed to get from Meloetta was enough to realize this project, and I'll be sure to give Ash and Meloetta a taste of what Project M can really do. They'll be the first to go down.''

A sinister smile took over Giovanni's features.

''I'm already looking forward when they challenge my gym.''

* * *

 **There you have it, folks! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are more than welcome! :) Next chapter, Rapidash versus Blaine's Arcanine. Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	30. Horseplay

**Apologies for the slow update. Lack of motivation was the main reason. I literally had to force this chapter out of me, so I hope the quality holds up. :P Anyway, enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, I would've never came up with the genius idea that is Rainbow Team Rocket!**

* * *

 **~DragonClawFromQ: Please let someone else win just for once, pretty please.**

 **Nope, sorry.**

* * *

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

After Team Rocket's sudden attack, Ash and his pokemon decided to get a nice meal first, before heading towards the gym for their seventh badge.

The leader, Blaine, was a fire-type specialist, and welcomed the raven haired trainer inside jovially. There, he explained the match was going to be a three versus three battle.

Ash understood and agreed with the rules. Blaine had used a Flareon and a Magmar so far, who both put up a very decent fight, but inevitably lost to Azumarill and Pikachu respectively. Now, Blaine was down to his last pokemon, but it wasn't just a random fire-type, oh no.

The Arcanine he'd sent out was big, bulky and intimidating. His powerful muscles contracted visibly under his beautiful, lush fur, and his teeth were as sharp as knives. It was obvious Blaine kept him in perfect condition, and it showed when he was in battle.

''No, Pikachu,'' Ash cried out when his starter pokemon was knocked out by a Flare Blitz. It was unbelievable, but Blaine's Arcanine easily kept up with Azumarill and Pikachu, and managed to defeat both of them.

''A respectable effort, Ash. Both your Azumarill and Pikachu are very strong. However, my Arcanine has been at my side when I was just a wee lad. It'll take more than that to overcome him,'' Blaine said, who hadn't been the least bit worried when he was down one pokemon to three.

Meloetta floated over the field and took care of Pikachu while Ash contemplated what to do next. She gave him a reassuring smile and blew him a kiss, telling him it was going to be fine. Ash couldn't help but to smile at the adorable gesture, before sinking deeply in his thoughts again. 'Sylveon doesn't match very well against Arcanine, and Dragonite and Meloetta are out, which means I can only use Rapidash.'

Ash had seen how excited she was when he told her he was probably going to use her in the upcoming battle. It was going to be her very first official battle, and her opponent was going to be a powerful one. But Ash had all the confidence she was going to win. He'd prepared and trained her well, so when he threw her pokeball high in the air, his voice was filled with excitement.

''All right! Rapidash, I choose you!'' he yelled.

The fire equine appeared on the field, her incredible size making Blaine's Arcanine almost look like a puppy. Her personality, however, was the complete opposite; it wasn't rock-hard as Arcanine's, who narrowed his sharp eyes at the big threat in front of him.

Instead, she was prancing in place, desperately trying to keep a giggle from escaping her throat. ''Oh gosh, my very first battle!'' She whinnied excitedly, like she was a small foal entering a confectionery shop for the first time.

''Is that so?'' The Arcanine's deep voice rumbled between his steadily growing growls. ''Good. Then you'll be even easier to take down than your friends,'' he taunted.

''Oh? Did you defeat Azumarill and Pikachu?'' She cocked her head a bit, her flames burning a bit brighter. ''You must be strong then. I'm honoured to be your opponent,'' she said respectfully.

''Spare me your flattery. You're just another pokemon I've to face daily. You mean nothing to me, Rapidash,'' he responded coldly.

Now, Rapidash frowned. She definitely saw a growing resemblance of her father in this Arcanine, and immediately, she felt a surge of pure rage well up in her body at the thought, like somebody injected an adrenaline shot into her. She flexed her well-developed muscles, making her even more intimidating while her flames ignited to a whole different temperature altogether.

''Fine. You mean nothing to me either, mutt. You're just another obstacle for my trainer to overcome in his road to be the very best, and I'll _burn_ that obstacle down to soot.''

Arcanine stayed focused, although he couldn't suppress the nagging feeling of fear gnawing at him from the inside. He'd never seen such a big Rapidash before, and he was sure his trainer hadn't either.

Blaine said nothing. Instead, he gave Ash a friendly gesture, indicating the first move was his.

''Rapidash, let's start this off with a Drill Run!'' Ash said, his voice steadfast and filled with confidence. It gave Rapidash the reassurance she needed to go all out. Ash believed in her, and she knew he would always believe in her. So, with a mighty cry, she began to run at the Arcanine, her massive hooves slamming down powerfully on the ground, cracking it and sending a large shock wave his way.

Arcanine could feel the ground rumbling under his paws, like a massive stampede was heading his way. Only difference was that this was a stampede consisting of just one pokemon. He could see the ground tearing apart in front of the fire-type and pebbles flying up, like the earth was personally coming for him to swallow him up whole.

However, his trainer reacted adequately. Smooth like silk, Blaine commanded, ''Arcanine, jump over that attack, then use Wild Charge in return.''

Immediately, Arcanine's muscles contracted; like a well-oiled machine he jumped over Rapidash's Drill Run, his fur standing on end as static buzzed through it. In the air, he leapt to Rapidash like a Lycanroc about to steal a Mareep from a herd, his whole body glowing and flashing white with the incredibly high-voltage of electricity surrounding him.

Unfortunately for Blaine, Ash had predicted something like this would happen. Smiling slightly, he gave Rapidash her next order.

''Now use Stomp in return, Rapidash!'' he cried at Blaine's offense.

The fire-type nodded her head, gave a snort at the incoming Arcanine and made a sharp u-turn in place. All the momentum she had picked up when running was suddenly converted into her back legs. With all the strength she had, she kicked them upwards, stomping Arcanine square in the face. The attack could've just as easily been mistaken for a High Horsepower, because it was simply devastating

A deep howl of pain was heard from Arcanine, immediately followed by a cry from Rapidash, whose back legs still took the majority of the Wild Charge. A loud explosion followed, and a plume of smoke rose from the center of the collision.

''Arcanine! Are you all right?'' Blaine shouted worriedly.

''Rapidash, are you okay?'' Ash shouted, equally as worried.

Two affirmative cries were their answers. Arcanine was damaged heavily. Rapidash's powerful Stomp coupled with the recoil of the Wild Charge had taken its toll. Not to mention, he had been battling Pikachu and Azumarill before this too.

Rapidash was relatively fine, but one of her back legs was pretty hurt. As such, she was walking with a slight limp, but her fiery spirit was anything but diminished. The flames on her body burned an eerie blue with power, just like her shiny-form. She was the most elegant and epic looking pokemon Ash had seen in a while.

''You're doing great so far, Rapidash! But the battle isn't over yet. It's time for a final attack,'' Ash said, his eyes burning with just as much raw passion as his fire-type. He knew that Blaine's Arcanine was almost at his end, but he also knew he had to be very careful with Rapidash's back leg too. That's why he wasn't planning to attack head on at all, but the slight panic in Blaine's eyes said everything; he had taken Ash's bait.

''Not so fast,'' Blaine shouted, ''Arcanine, finish this off with another Wild Charge!'' He knew it was a risky move, but he also knew if it hit, Rapidash would go down for sure.

Arcanine didn't doubt his trainer for a moment. Despite his injuries, he was charging Rapidash like nothing had happened to him at all, a loud bark coming out of his mouth as his body mustered the energy needed to produce the same electricity as he had last time.

Ash simply waited, much to the confusion and the growing panic on Blaine's face. Hadn't he told his Rapidash to go for a final attack just a moment ago? Usually this meant a trump card of some sorts, but the raven haired didn't do anything.

'Is he waiting for the right moment to strike?' Blaine thought incredulously, and with growing realization, he noticed that this was exactly the case. His Arcanine was running precisely over the damaged and weakened ground caused by Rapidash's Drill Run, and at that moment, Ash let his voice be heard.

''Rapidash, Drill Run again!''

She stomped her front hooves in place on the ground, creating a weaker, but still potent attack that ripped through the floor and created a massive crater as it traveled through the incoming canine.

There was no way Arcanine could dodge. Instinctively, he was going to jump over it like last time, but the weakened floor creaked under him in protest. The moment he was about to lift his heavy body from the earth and into the air, the ground gave away under him, halting his momentum to nothing and trapping his back leg.

He gave a cry of surprise, his Wild Charge cancelling as he could only look with growing eyes of defeat at the Drill Run that was about to hit him.

The super-effective attack did his job. Blaine looked baffled at the trap Ash had set, and he gave little grunts of disbelief as he saw his Arcanine get pelted with rock debris from beneath while the earth shook, his final cry and heavy frame dropping down in defeat, indicating that Rapidash was the victor in this battle.

''Unbelievable,'' Blaine muttered, not comprehending his Arcanine got defeated like this.

For a moment, Rapidash felt like time was frozen, until she heard the exuberant cheer of her trainer behind her, and felt his body hugging her around her middle.

''Rapidash, you did it! You won! I'm so proud of you!'' Ash praised his hard working pokemon.

At that moment, Rapidash felt pure happiness surge through her veins. She made a soft whinny that sounded like she was about to burst into tears at any second. She rubbed her head against Ash's and nuzzled him, soft snorts of appreciation escaping her nose.

Ash giggled, and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. ''Thank you,'' he whispered, ''why don't you take a well deserved rest? Return.''

Once Ash had returned her, Meloetta floated over with her hands clasped together. ''Melo mel.'' She almost swooned at how incredibly cute the scene was she just saw.

Pikachu, who had recovered slightly, rolled his eyes at Meloetta's exaggerated reaction, but couldn't find the strength to tease her like he usually did.

Ash laughed at the antics of his pokemon, and then turned his attention to Blaine, who was approaching him already.

''Ash Ketchum, you've defeated me fair and square. Your Rapidash is truly amazing. Take this to commemorate your victory over me today.'' He held out a Volcano badge, which Ash gratefully took.

''All right! I got a Volcano badge!'' Ash said cheerfully while doing his silly victory pose.

Blaine chuckled and patted Ash on the back. ''You've come quite far, Ash. There's only one badge left to obtain. However, this gym leader is the strongest of us all. Prepare yourself for a hard battle; even if you have a legendary and ancient pokemon in your team.''

Ash nodded and bowed respectfully. ''I will, Blaine. Thanks for the advice.'' With Meloetta on his left shoulder, and Pikachu on his right, he left the gym in high spirit. He only needed one badge to go.

* * *

 **There you have it, people. Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! I love to read them! :D Next chapter, Ash goes on safari on One Island, meeting the fossil pokemon of the past. Jurassic Park shenanigans ensue! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	31. Jurassic problems

**Next chapter is finally here! Took me a bit longer as planned, but I hope you'll enjoy! :D**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, most fossil pokemon would be stronger as they're now!**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts.

* * *

Being recognized as the hero kid of Kanto had its perks. For example, after Ash had beaten Blaine, he ran into Bill, a renowned scientist who had invented the pokemon storage system. Bill had immediately offered him a boat ride to One Island, where he would showcase his latest invention—a machine that could revive fossil pokemon. He was convinced that Ash wouldn't want to miss it.

Ash had taken the offer all too eagerly, and now he was walking alongside Bill in a restricted part of the island, his Meloetta on his left shoulder, and his Pikachu on the right, as usual.

The air was humid; Ash's clothes were sticky with sweat and he panted slightly. The restricted area had no easy accessible mud-path; it was all wild greenery, and the further they went, the wilder the foliage grew.

''Are you sure we're on the right path, Bill?'' Ash questioned him doubtfully. The scientist was getting more nervous as time went on. Right now, he was incredibly pale, and his scared eyes were looking from side to side, as if something could jump out from the bushes at any moment.

''Actually, Ash, I might have been lying to you,'' Bill admitted shamefully.

Immediately, Meloetta snapped out of her dreamy state. She had been cuddling with Ash for the entirety of the walk, not really doubting Bill or his intentions. Now though, her eyes sharpened and she looked at Bill suspiciously.

''Please, let me explain!'' Bill said quickly, sensing that both Meloetta and Pikachu were giving him threatening glances. He'd seen at his lighthouse what Meloetta was capable of. He didn't want to experience that first hand.

''All right, I'm listening,'' Ash said calmly. He knew Bill wasn't a bad person—let alone someone who would have the intention to hurt him or his pokemon. Ash guessed that he must've had a good reason why he brought him here in the wild, so he waited patiently on Bill's explanation.

''Well, you see…'' the flustered scientist began, ''The FRM, the machine I was talking about that could revive fossils? Well, it has gone haywire.'' He was rubbing his head awkwardly, not really looking at the raven haired trainer as he explained.

It was obvious to Ash that Bill felt extremely ashamed; not only for lying to him, but also because his invention had apparently malfunctioned with grave consequences. ''The fossil pokemon I revived have all turned aggressive; they weren't able to be controlled at all, and now, they've escaped the building and are roaming the island.''

Ash's reply was incredulous. ''Do you mean to say we could've been attacked by aggressive fossil pokemon all this time, and you're warning us about this now!?''

Bill seemed to shrink under Ash's stern tone. ''Well, no… At least, I don't think so,'' he squeaked. ''We tested my machine in a super enclosed part of One Island, entirely walled off with extremely sturdy, invisible panels. You wouldn't know it was there until you'd bump against it, but I think Meloetta can sense it.''

Meloetta nodded her head, believing Bill based on what he was saying. She did sense an extremely large dome of some sorts, and inside, a lot of angry auras; powerful, menacing, waiting to cause harm to anyone who dared to come inside.

''Ash,'' Bill said desperately. ''I don't know how long these sturdy panels will protect the rest of the island. It's only a matter of time before these pokemon will break through. I put everybody on One Island in danger as a result. I'm so sorry for not telling the truth, but if somebody found out this project has gone completely out of hand, my reputation would be tarnished forever. I'm begging you, please take out the fossil pokemon so I can shut off the machine. It's the only way to put a stop to this.''

Ash blew hot air against his face by pursing his lower lip, fighting off a groan that threatened to escape his throat.

''Well,'' Pikachu said jokingly to Meloetta, ''Kanto needs our help a lot, doesn't it? I wonder what would've happened to Kanto if Ash wasn't with us to intervene.''

Meloetta nodded her head gravely, and was reminded of the words her Father had told her: _''Ash is the chosen one for a reason. He'll stop the evil teams from destroying the world for power or their own foolish beliefs.''_ She guessed this fell under that too.

''All right, Bill,'' Ash said, ''I'll help you.''

Bill felt a great sense of relief wash over him. ''Oh, thank you—''

''However,'' Ash interrupted him seriously, ''The next time one of your projects gets out of control like this, you'll have to take responsibility for your actions yourself, all right?''

Bill went on his knees and nodded, thanking his lucky stars that Ash agreed to help him out. ''All right, I will, Ash. Thank you so much for helping me!''

He stood up and dusted himself off, smiling apologetically. ''I'm sorry that I dragged you in my mess. The sooner we shut off the machine, the sooner we can forget all of this happened.''

Ash nodded his head and released his other pokemon except Dragonite. Sylveon, Azumarill and Rapidash appeared in a flash of light and a cheerful cry of their name.

''Hi guys, listen up. I need your help with a bit of a problem we have. In a minute, we're going to enter territory full of aggressive pokemon. I need you guys to stay close to Bill and protect him at all cost. In the mean time, Meloetta, Pikachu and I will provide back-up and make sure none of the pokemon escape,'' Ash explained.

''Yay, daddy, are we going to go monster hunting?'' Azumarill asked excitedly. He affectionately called it that ever since they started to infiltrate Team Rocket bases.

''Are we, daddy?'' Sylveon added hopefully. She was full of energy and ready for a battle.

Rapidash giggled, her warm eyes locking with Meloetta's briefly, before she turned them towards Ash. ''So, what pokemon are we talking about?'' she questioned curiously.

''Fossil pokemon,'' Meloetta answered for him, and then to Azumarill and Sylveon: ''Yes, sweeties, but be careful. These monsters are vicious, so stay alert, all right?''

''We will, auntie Melo!'' They both sang in union, excited as if they were going to a birthday party.

Rapidash gave a nervous whinny, though. ''Fossil pokemon mean they're all rock-types.'' She shivered. ''I can't do much to the ones who're off the ground without hurting myself.''

''Don't worry, auntie Dashie!'' Sylveon said cheerfully. ''My little brother and I will protect you!''

''Yeah! We'll make sure those meanies won't hurt you!'' Azumarill added proudly.

Rapidash laughed and cooed at the two young pokemon. ''Thank you, dearies. I think I don't have to be concerned anymore then.''

Ash looked satisfied at his line-up. He figured he would use Dragonite as a last ditch effort if things really were going to turn south.

''We're ready, Bill. Please show us inside. We're going to solve this little problem once and for all.''

* * *

Inside the dome, things were chaotic. It was like Ash had stepped into a time machine and had traveled back millions of years ago. The cries and roars of ancient pokemon fighting each other over territory, food and females was scary, to say the least.

''What a primitive bunch,'' Pikachu commented, his ears perked and his eyes sharp. ''I can't imagine what it must be like to live in such an age.''

Meloetta nodded her head. ''I've heard stories from Dialga and Palkia. Apparently, this was considered normal behaviour. Pokemon weren't as sentient as they are now.''

''You mean not sentient at all,'' Pikachu responded flatly. ''At least wild pokemon nowadays have norms and standards. They don't go around attacking human settlements without a good reason.''

Meloetta had to agree with Pikachu. ''Let's just defeat these pokemon before they start a rampage and all of One Island will be destroyed. There are a couple of them on our left.''

Pikachu's cheek pouches began to spark with electricity. ''All right, let's do this!''

''Melo mel,'' the petite legendary said kindly, steering Ash into the right direction.

''Yes, I can hear them, Meloetta. Let's take them out!'' He nodded to Pikachu who agreed with him too and then looked at Bill. ''You go on ahead without us. We'll provide cover and clean up the pokemon who try to attack you from the back.''

Bill nodded his head reluctantly. He was sitting on Rapidash while Azumarill and Sylveon covered his flanks. If a pokemon jumped out and lurched at him, Rapidash's incredible reflexes would save him, as would Azumarill's and Sylveon's.

''Good luck to you, Bill,'' Ash said, and then disappeared into the bushes.

* * *

The raven haired trainer could see them now: two pokemon he was unfamiliar with, and a Kabutops.

''That one is definitely a flying-type,'' Ash whispered to Pikachu. It was an Archeops, fighting furiously with a Cradily. The Kabutops was watching the spectacle with mild interest.

''Pika, pikachu,'' he whispered back, showing that he understood and that he was ready. ''Okay, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the flying-type! Meloetta, ram that other fossil pokemon into the Kabutops with your psychic!''

They both nodded their heads. Pikachu unleashed a massive torrent of electricity on the Archeops, who roared in pain and dropped out of the sky like a brick. The Cradily looked confused, who could only give a startled yelp as he was forcefully slammed against the Kabutops by an invisible force.

''All right, great job you guys!'' Ash praised his pokemon, assuming they were down for the count. However, they all stood up, and looked very pissed at Pikachu, Meloetta and Ash.

'Well, this is going to be a little harder than I thought. I hope that Bill is okay,' Ash thought while he ordered his pokemon to block the attacks that were coming his way.

* * *

Meanwhile, with Bill, he'd reached the destroyed laboratory. He was attacked from the left and the right, but he came out of top pretty unscathed. He now understood why Ash was such a strong trainer. Sylveon, Azumarill and Rapidash complemented each other perfectly. Such strong synergy was unheard off, with Azumarill being the main attacker, Sylveon the healer, and Rapidash the speedster.

'Incredible, these pokemon have such team-spirit they don't even need Ash to operate and think up strategies. They've created a formation that allows Azumarill to set-up with Belly Drum, Sylveon to heal with Wish, and Rapidash to lend support with Drill Run. Their bond is so strong; it's almost if they're family.'

Bill shook his head to clear his thoughts and instead focused on the FRM in the main room, which was buzzing and shooting off electricity everywhere. It was still reviving fossil pokemon, albeit they were defeated quickly and effortlessly by Azumarill and Sylveon.

They had left a trail of defeated Omastar, Kabutops, Aerodactyl and a lot of other fossil pokemon they had never seen before in their wake, and now, it was finally time to put an end to all of this.

Bill pressed some buttons on the machine and then reached for the big handle to shut the entire thing off once and for all, but before he could do that, a large rumble brought him off balance.

''What was that?'' he said fearfully. It felt like something huge had taken a step forward, like Ash's ancient Dragonite, but it felt different. Ash's pokemon covered Bill protectively, ready for whatever was coming their way.

They didn't have to wait for too long.

The front of the lab was blown to smithereens as a very large pokemon entered the main hall: not nearly as large as Dragonite, but abnormally large nonetheless. It was a Tyrantrum the size of a four-story building. It roared in pure malice and anger. Bill had to cover his ears to prevent damage to them.

''Wow, a _real_ monster, yay!'' Azumarill said happily. ''Big sister! Let's take him down together!''

The Tyrantrum wasted no time charging forward with a Head Smash, destroying everything on its path. Sylveon unleashed a Moonblast, boosted by her Calm Minds, and shot the lustrous orb straight at the incoming dragon and rock type, which exploded violently on his face.

At the same time, Azumarill had jumped up and delivered a Waterfall attack like an uppercut straight under the Tyrantrum's jaw. Needless to say, the unbelievable power behind those attacks was enough to stop the dinosaur dead in his tracks and turn his momentum upwards, which made him lose his balance and fall back. He roared in incredible pain and anger, but to the shock of everybody present, he was able to unleash an attack in mid-air.

His tail glowed as hard as steel, and he slammed it with all the force that he had into Azumarill, who flew back like a bullet and hit one of the steel walls all the way in the back of the main hall. He was knocked out cold instantly.

''Little brother!'' Sylveon screamed. She fumed with anger, her face turned into an ominous snarl. ''You're going to pay for that!''

She unleashed another Moonblast, but the Tyrantrum, just as pissed off as she was, had only eye for her. He charged straight through the attack, like he didn't even register it even though it had done massive damage to him. Another deafening roar was his only answer.

''What—''

Sylveon couldn't finish her sentence. The super-effective Iron Tail that knocked out Azumarill hit her straight in the gut, sending her flying upwards until she hit the ceiling with a loud slam. Knocked out unconscious, she fell out of the sky, where the Tyrantrum was waiting for her with an open jaw, ready to swallow her whole.

''No!'' Rapidash screamed, her panic kicking in as she used a Drill Run to make the Tyrantrum stumble on his legs. The result was an angry roar as Sylveon landed on his face instead in his mouth and thumped harmlessly to the ground.

He gave a leering look at Rapidash who had interrupted his midday snack, and figured since she had annoyed him, she had to do instead.

At the same time, Bill was petrified. He couldn't move a single muscle as Rapidash lured the massive dinosaur away from Sylveon and himself. 'How's this thing still moving? That Waterfall and Moonblast combo should've finished him off cleanly with all the boosts both Azumarill and Sylveon had. How—''

He then realized the cause. 'The FRM! It's giving him energy. I have to turn it off right now!'

Bill, finally feeling strength return in his muscles, reached for the handle of the FRM desperately, only to get a massive shock. He cursed and pulled his hand back on reflex. 'Oh crap, this is bad, this is so bad!'

Meanwhile, Rapidash had one very angry dinosaur pokemon running after her. She was following the trail of defeated fossil pokemon back the way she came from, hoping she would find Ash, Pikachu and Meloetta.

''Ash! Help!'' She screamed at the top of her lungs. She'd underestimated the Tyrantrum's speed. His jaw was getting scorched by her tail flame and she could feel his breath on her back, that's how close he was already. His jaw was snapping at her like an angry Carvanha, and out of other options, she jumped as high as she could on reflex.

It felt like time was going in slow-motion. Under her, she saw the Tyrantrum's head lurching forward, his jaw closing around the space she was galloping at just a mere second ago. She landed gracefully on his head and jumped again, gaining more momentum as she used that to come back down on his head once more with all the power that she had converted into a Drill Run attack.

The Tyrantrum was stupefied where Rapidash went, until he heard a loud crack inside his head that definitely was his skull as the fire-type came down on it. The force rammed his head into the ground, and the only thing he was eating so far was dirt.

A large mud track was created from the moment the dinosaur fell, his eyes closed and his body unmoving; any other pokemon would've been unable to battle, but the FRM kept the Tyrantrum going. Just as Rapidash thought she had defeated him, everywhere around his body, large, pointy stones were created.

Rapidash's eyes widened in alarm at the sudden Stone Edge attack, but she was unable to dodge. She got pelted and cried out in pain as she went down, her eyes closing while she saw the Tyrantrum opening his again.

He was unable to move his jaw or lift his head, but he could still move his limbs. While he might be unable to eat her, he was definitely going to finish her off for good. Creating another barrage of pointy stones in the air, he pointed them all at her neck and prepared to fire.

* * *

 **Oh no! The dreadful cliffhanger! How could I? :O It seems Rapidash is in a bit of a pinch. :P Anyway, did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are appreciated! Next chapter the ending of Jurassic pokemon! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	32. The Flame of Mt Ember

**The conclusion of Jurassic Problems, people. I hope you'll enjoy! ^^**

* * *

 **~Guest: Will you let Ash catch the Tyrantrum (...) Thank you and good luck!  
**

 **You already know the answer.**

 **~Guest: I wonder if Arceus will grant Meloetta a wish and let her turn into a human to be with Ash.**

 **He won't, because she is already with Ash.**

 **~Guest: Ash is very out of character (...) but that doesn't prevent this story (...) from definitely worth reading so far.**

 **Thanks a lot for the praise! :D Yes, Ash is out of character, but that's what you get when you make him more mature/smart as time goes on.**

 **~Corvilius: More please? This is an amazing story! (...) I hope you keep going!**

 **Thanks a lot, I'll do my best to deliver. ^^**

 **~DragonClawFromQ: Is Ash finally going to lose? Also, good chapter.**

 **Thanks for the praise, and you'll have to read to find out.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Ultra Necrozma's theme wouldn't be as epic as it is now!  
**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

Bill was muttering incoherently as he sat slumped against the FRM. He saw that the Tyrantrum was faster than Ash's Rapidash as she led him away. He couldn't stomach the thought if something happened to her because of him, and he tried to get himself up. 'I have to turn it off,' he thought in panic, his head dizzy from the shock he received, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move his body. His limbs were completely paralyzed. He could only hope Ash would arrive soon before any fossil pokemon did.

In the distance, he could hear the angry roars of the dinosaur pokemon as he chased after Rapidash. At the right, he saw Sylveon lying unconscious, and he knew Azumarill was somewhere at the far end of the main room as well.

'Please, Ash, hurry up!' Bill thought desperately. 'What's taking you so long?'

* * *

''Pikachu, look out!'' Ash screamed. Defeating these fossil pokemon was harder than he'd thought. For some reason, they kept on going for a lot longer than normal. They'd finally rounded up the last of them and were on their way to the lab when a massive Tyrantrum had blocked their way.

The dinosaur pokemon roared angrily and had almost snapped his jaw shut over Pikachu hadn't Ash warned him just at the right time. He barely evaded the bite with a Quick Attack, and skidded to a stop in front of Ash protectively.

''Pikachu! Are you all right?'' Meloetta called out, concerned for his well-being. It didn't take long for her to figure out something was fueling these pokemon, and looking at the Tyrantrum, she feared this was going to be a very big challenge.

''I'm all right. That thing came out of nowhere, though. I don't know if I'm going to last much longer,'' Pikachu admitted with a snarl.

''It's all right, I'll handle this one, just keep Ash safe for me,'' Meloetta replied, getting in a battle stance. However, just as she was about to attack under her trainer's command, she sensed Rapidash and another, very angry aura—the exact same one that was standing in front of her—chasing the fire-type. They were a couple miles away and Rapidash's aura was extremely frightened.

''Rapidash!'' Meloetta yelled in alarm, and was then reminded of the angry roar in front of her. The Tyrantrum charged with his head down, and Meloetta took hold of him with her psychic, slowing him down to a crawl. She gritted her teeth; it was like stopping the S.S. Anne from capsizing all over again, she couldn't keep him still for long.

''What? What's wrong with Rapidash?'' Pikachu cried out. He had no idea what was going on, and at the look on Meloetta's face, he realized she was in grave danger.

''I'll go to Rapidash—''

''No!'' Meloetta snarled. ''I can't hold him off for much longer. If you go now he'll get to Ash. I need your help!''

Pikachu looked desperate, caught between a cross-road. He realized now that they had underestimated their opponents severely. From the look in Ash's eyes, Pikachu saw that his trainer knew this too. He'd Dragonite's pokeball in his hand already, and threw him on the field.

''Dragonite, I choose you!'' he shouted, ''Pikachu, use Iron Tail to help Meloetta, quickly!''

While the massive dragon materialized, Pikachu shut his eyes in guilt. 'I'm so sorry, Rapidash.' His tail hardened to steel-like proportions, and he swung it on the head of the large dinosaur pokemon, alleviating some pressure for Meloetta.

The dinosaur roared and struggled, still gaining ground as he advanced towards Ash. 'This is ridiculous. No pokemon should be this strong. I'm tired of this,' Ash thought finally.

''Dragonite, obliterate this fossil pokemon with your Dragon Claw, full power!'' Ash yelled conclusively, his voice carrying a hint of irritation.

His ancient pokemon complied with a nod. ''Stand back, Ash,'' he warned in a deep rumple, and swung his paw full of draconic energy against the Tyrantrum with all the strength that he had. It was like swatting a fly; the dinosaur pokemon didn't even give a cry as he was swept through trees, foliage, the dome, the forest behind that and then crashed somewhere against Mt. Ember, forming a deep impact crater at the side of the mountain, never to be seen again.

Meloetta finally rested, panting as she gave Dragonite an appreciative smile. ''Thanks, big guy.''

''It's my pleasure, lady Meloetta,'' he responded back respectfully, giving her a graceful bow.

Meloetta then turned to the distraught electric-type, who gave her an anxious look. ''Pikachu, go with Ash and find Bill and the others. I'm going to find Rapidash,'' she said sternly.

''Meloetta!'' he cried. ''Rapidash? Is she—?''

''No, she can't be,'' the petite legendary responded. ''Or so Arceus help me... Now go! Make sure that the others are okay!''

He nodded, and climbed on Ash's shoulder. ''Pika, pikachu, pika,'' he said to Ash quickly.

''Wait, what about Meloetta? Where is she going?'' Ash questioned worriedly.

Pikachu shook his head. ''Pika pika,'' he responded seriously, giving him a look that told Ash to trust him.

''All right, I'll trust you, Pikachu. Let's find Bill and the others.''

* * *

Back at the lab, Bill was almost losing consciousness when Ash and Pikachu finally entered. He'd heard the massive wing flaps of his Dragonite, who was now standing guard outside. ''Bill! Sylveon! Azumarill! What happened?'' Ash yelled, clearly in panic for the well-being of his pokemon.

He crouched down next to Sylveon and saw that she was knocked out cold, but still breathing steadily. He gave a sigh of relief as he returned her to her pokeball.

Meanwhile, Pikachu was checking up on Azumarill, who luckily was in the same state as Sylveon.

''Oh, sprout. I'm so glad that you're okay,'' Pikachu whispered. He put Azumarill on his back and carried him towards Ash, Bill and the smoking FRM.

''It was a massive dinosaur pokemon,'' Bill babbled to Ash as he returned his Azumarill with relief on his face. He muttered a thanks to his Pikachu as Bill explained further. ''He destroyed the lab, and knocked out Azumarill and Sylveon in one hit. Rapidash… she saved us, she led the Tyrantrum away from here.''

Ash eyes widened in horror. ''Where's Rapidash now?'' he asked, his tone not hiding his concern whatsoever.

''I-I don't know,'' Bill stuttered. ''The FRM, it gave the fossil pokemon immense power. I tried to shut it off but I got a massive shock. I'm completely paralyzed.''

Pikachu eyed the handle, and then Ash, who was trying to even his breathing. He could see his trainer was having a rough time keeping calm and not lashing out to Bill.

''Ash,'' Pikachu said, knowing he would understand most of what he was going to say, ''You go find Rapidash with Dragonite. Meloetta should be with her. I'll turn off the FRM in the meantime and keep an eye on Bill.''

''Pikachu, are you sure?'' Ash asked.

The electric-type readjusted his cap, nodded his head and gave his trainer a hug.

''Pika, Pikachu,'' he said in reassurance, and Ash believed him—how couldn't he?

''I know everything will be okay, Pikachu. I'll be back in no time, I promise.''

With that, Ash left his electric-starter alone with Bill while he went to search for Rapidash and Meloetta.

* * *

When Ash found Meloetta, his breath caught in his throat. She was floating in front of another of those large Tyrantrum. This one had made a nasty crash to the ground. His eyes were closed and he was unmoving; it had to be the one who'd attacked Bill at the lab—the one Rapidash chased away.

''Meloetta, where's Rapidash?'' Ash whispered, refusing to believe this fossil pokemon had done something to her. She was nowhere in sight, and on closer inspection, the large, defeated dinosaur Pokémon had scorch marks all over his body. It was clear Rapidash had fought him and dealt a lot of damage in the process.

When Meloetta turned around, she had tears in her eyes and her hands clasped together. She looked devastated, ready to burst into tears.

At that moment, Ash's body went numb. He felt a dizzy spell threaten to overwhelm him, and he had to sit down to prevent himself from collapsing on the spot. ''No…'' Ash muttered, ''Rapidash, is she—?''

Meloetta flew into his arms and hugged her trainer tight. ''Melo mel, meloetta,'' she murmured sadly in his chest, ''Melo melo!''

Now, Ash became angry. ''What do you mean you can't find her aura!? She can't just vanish! I'm not leaving without her so you have to look _harder_!''

Meloetta flinched from the sudden outburst and let go of Ash, shock written all over her face.

Immediately, Ash felt guilty and his features turned sad. ''Meloetta, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out to you like that.'' He'd trouble keeping the tears from falling down now. ''It's just—we have to—Rapidash—I can't lose her.''

The raven haired trainer closed his eyes, his cheeks becoming wet and salty. He cried softly for his fallen Pokémon while Meloetta consoled and cried with him.

* * *

''C'mon you piece of trash, turn!'' Pikachu grunted. He'd tried to turn off to FRM for the last five-minutes now, but the handle was completely stuck. Thanks to his new ability, he didn't have to worry about the electricity whatsoever, but he lacked the physical strength to move the handle in the slightest.

''It's useless,'' Bill muttered, ''soon, the machine is going to revive more fossils, and then we're all done for.''

''Will you shut your yap for a second?'' Pikachu snarled, ''I'm going to do this!'' He put all of his strength in his tiny paws, going spastic as the handle squeaked in protest and finally gave a couple of inches. ''Yes!'' Pikachu cheered, his muscles aching in pain. ''Now for the final blow!''

He had a perfect working angle now. His tail turned as hard as steel as he took a couple of steps backwards. With a cry of his name, he charged the machine, jumped up, and slammed his tail against the handle powerfully, which instantly flew downwards with a loud slam. The machine whirled with noise, and then it died down completely.

''There!'' he shouted to Bill, ''I told you I would do it!'' Pikachu laughed victoriously and then, exhaustion claimed him as he rested his body against the scientist.

''You—you did it,'' Bill said, astounded. He felt like he could finally breathe again.

Pikachu chuckled. ''Of course I did. I've been trained personally by Ash. He's the best trainer a pokemon could wish for.''

They stayed silent like that, waiting for Ash and the others to arrive and help them.

''You know, I'm really sorry for dragging you into this mess,'' Bill said genuinely. ''If I had known things would go so wrong, I wouldn't have put all of you into danger.''

Pikachu waved him off dismissively. ''It's fine. The machine's off and all the fossils are dealt with. I just hope Rapidash is okay…''

* * *

While Ash and Meloetta were sitting there, embracing each other to ease their sorrow, a bright light appeared in the sky.

''What's that?'' Ash whispered, afraid it might be another giant fossil pokemon. Meloetta, however, only gasped. ''It's the Flame of Mt. Ember,'' she whispered back. ''Moltres.''

The giant, legendary fire-type descended towards the ground next to Ash and Meloetta, and when he touched solid land, he gave a respectful bow. ''Ash, Lady Meloetta, it is a pleasure to meet you both in person.''

His voice was like telepathy, and if Ash wasn't so upset, he might've marveled at it.

''Moltres,'' Meloetta said, and she bowed back. ''Please help us. The island—it was filled with rampaging fossil pokemon and—''

He put the tip of his wing on her muzzle to silence her. ''I know, young one. That's why I came here. I heard how that foolish scientist messed up on one of his machines, on my island no less. I'm sorry that I couldn't be here sooner to help you, but I think I was just in time to save someone very dear to the both of you.''

This time, Ash couldn't utter a single word out of happiness as his Rapidash appeared from behind Moltres' wing. She was positively glowing; not a single scratch was on her body.

''Rapidash!'' Ash said, ''Oh, Rapidash!'' He ran towards her and gave her a hug, which she eagerly returned, her eyes tearing up just as much as her trainer's. ''I thought I had lost you forever.''

She nuzzled him and neighed an apology for making him worry so much. Not a second later, Meloetta had joined in, and the three were hugging like a family that was reunited again at long last.

''Moltres, thank you so much for saving Rapidash. I don't know how to repay you,'' Ash said honestly.

''You don't have to, because you already did. You saved my island—my home. For that, I'm eternally grateful.'' He bowed again, and Ash bowed back respectfully.

''I must go now, Ash. But remember, you're always welcome here on One Island and Mt. Ember.''

The legendary spread his magnificent wings and took off into the sky, until he was nothing but a bright star on the horizon.

* * *

Back at the pokemon center of One Island, Bill was thanking Ash profusely. ''I've put you guys in so much danger; please accept this gift as a token of my appreciation for helping me.''

One of his colleagues showed Ash a bracelet and a pink, diamond shaped stone.

''What's that?'' Ash said with excitement in his voice.

''That is a Z-ring. It's a bracelet you can wear so you can perform an ultimate attack with your pokemon. The stone is a psychium-Z. Any pokemon who holds that stone with a psychic move can now perform the ultimate psychic attack: Shattered Psyche. You should try it out with Meloetta and see how it goes.''

Ash took the items gratefully and with respect from Bill's colleague. ''Wow, thank you so much.''

All of Ash's pokemon except Dragonite were standing beside him, looking at awe at the shiny stone. ''Does that mean there are more of these stones?'' Ash questioned.

''There are,'' Bill confirmed, ''but they're not easy to get a hold of in Kanto, as they are Alola exclusive. I got these from my friend Kukui, the professor in Alola, but since I'm paralyzed I've no use for them.''

''What did the doctors say about that?'' Ash responded, now feeling pity for Bill.

''They say it won't be permanent, but it might take more than a year before all of my functions will return as they were before, which means I'll have to relearn everything. The medical rehabilitation process will be a long road, but one I'm willing to walk. It's my fault all of this happened in the first place.''

Ash nodded and chatted some more with Bill, before they said their final goodbyes. Now, Ash was all alone with his pokemon, and he looked at them sadly. ''I've failed you guys as a trainer,'' he said. ''Because of my poor decision to split up and not use Dragonite sooner, I put all of you in incredible danger. Some of you almost had to pay for it with your lives. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if something happened to you guys.''

He looked at each of them individually. ''You are my family, and I love you, and from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry. I hope you guys can forgive me.''

The silence that followed was killing Ash, before it was broken with a soft snort from his Rapidash. ''What are you talking about, Ash?'' she cried. ''There was no way you could've known what kind of danger we were heading into!''

''Yeah, I agree with auntie Dashie!'' Sylveon said. Azumarill nodded his head too, which only left Pikachu and Meloetta.

''Hey, Ash,'' his electric starter said. ''You're not to blame for any of this. If anything, _we_ are to blame for not realizing how dangerous it was sooner.''

Meloetta didn't say anything. She just cooed kindly and locked her lips tenderly with his, showing how much she loved him. When she broke the kiss, Ash felt a happiness surge through his veins he hadn't felt since the first day Meloetta had kissed him. ''You know, I'm the luckiest trainer in all of Kanto to have you guys as my pokemon—no, as my family.''

They all hugged him close, and Ash sighed in contentment as he was embraced from all sides by the ones that loved him.

* * *

 **So there you have it, people! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please. Reviews make _me_ feel like the luckiest trainer in all of Kanto. ;) Next chapter, Ash and Meloetta's first official date in Viridian's annual festival extravaganza! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	33. Sweet as cotton candy

**Small, fluffy chapter before we move to the big battle against Giovanni. Happy new year! I hope 2018 may be filled with lots of love, happiness and prosperity for all of you! :D Enjoy~**

* * *

 **~DragonClawFromQ: Ash didn't lose, so I was gonna ask if in the end of this story he is gonna fight with Red.**

 **Nope.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon! If I did, Mallow and Lana would get more development in the SUMO anime!  
**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

Viridian city's festival extravaganza was an annual event held in the honor of the three legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. It was one of the biggest festivals in all of Kanto. As such, the streets were packed with people enjoying the festivities; children laughing and running from stand to stand with their amused or sometimes worried parents following them in tow, inspired pokemon trainers searching for the newest items to help them out in battle or just your average young couples enjoying each other's company as they strolled through the crowd.

Ash and Meloetta were one of those couples. The raven haired trainer was genuinely surprised when he'd arrived in Vermillion city this morning with all the intention to challenge the gym for his last badge, only to see streets filled with balloons, streamers, music and the air smelling almost sickeningly sweet of candy apples and cotton candy.

Needless to say, the gym was closed for the day, which was a bit of a bummer for Ash, but he quickly got an idea that made him forget about all of that in a matter of seconds. A shy blush had spread across his cheeks as he eyed his lovely legendary. His eyes twinkled like the stars as he took her petite hands in his own while clearing his throat.

''Meloetta,'' he whispered, ''I was thinking. Since the gym is closed, would you like to go to the festival with me? Just you and I, I mean.''

Pikachu had trouble stifling his chuckles. Meloetta's eyes had widened almost comically, her cheeks had burned brightly and her mouth had fallen open, like she couldn't believe it. ''Meloetta, are you okay?'' Pikachu teased her. ''It's just a simple question from your boyfriend.''

Meloetta had ignored the electric-type, and instead had squealed joyfully while hugging Ash around his neck. Ash couldn't help but giggle as he felt her warm body pressed so close to his. ''I guess I take that as a yes then.''

Not much later, the couple had set out to enjoy what the festival had to offer. Pikachu and Rapidash had promised to take care of Sylveon and Azumarill while they were away. Meloetta made sure to snuggle herself against Ash as she sat on his shoulder, very much enjoying the smooth skin of his cheek against her own.

''Look, Meloetta!'' Ash said happily while pointing to one of the dozens of stands. It was the infamous can throw game that was present at every carnival ever—and so, it was inevitable that one could be found at this grand festival as well, of course.

''What do you say? Shall I give it a shot and see if I can win you anything?'' Ash suggested suavely.

Meloetta nodded her head while giving him a melodic chirp. She hummed excitedly as the raven haired trainer went over the stand, which had a lot of bright lights and various prices hung up on the ceiling to make the place look as appealing as possible. A big, middle-aged man gave the young couple a practiced smile.

''Welcome, hero kid of Kanto. Are you here to test your luck? Well, I've got a special offer for you. Knock down all the cans in one throw, and you'll win that big Ho-oh plushie over there. What do you say? Care to give it a shot for the pretty lady on your shoulder?''

He flashed Ash another winning smile, who gave it some thought. It seemed simple enough; there were three cans on the first row, two on top of that, and a single one on top of the two to finish the structure. Looking at the gigantic Ho-oh plush, he was sure Meloetta would love it very much, considering how fond she was of Ho-oh.

The only thing Ash didn't know was that it was almost impossible to knock all the cans over in one throw, as the back of them were reinforced with steel, making them a lot heavier than they appeared to be.

''All right, let's give it a shot then!'' Ash agreed. He looked at Meloetta, who was eyeing him appreciatively. He didn't have to be a genius to figure out she really wanted that Ho-oh plushie.

''Great choice, the first throw is on the house, by the way,'' the man told Ash politely while handing him one of the balls.

''Thank you!'' Ash took the ball, aimed it at the cans and threw it with as much strength as he could possibly muster. He was deadly accurate, but to the surprise of both Ash and Meloetta, only four of the six cans were knocked over.

''Well, that's too bad, but you were _very_ close,'' the big man encouraged kindly. ''Would you like to try it again? Another throw will cost you five-hundred pokedollars.''

Ash looked over at Meloetta, who nodded her head without hesitation. It was pricey, and she immediately understood why; giving the facade of an easy game while making the first throw on the house ensured that most people were going to try it again for a couple of times. It was easy money. She knew there was no way this game was fair, but two could play that way.

The petite legendary was surprised to discover, however, that both the ball and the cans were made of a dark-type material that blocked her Psychic on them entirely. It seemed she wasn't the first to try this little trick. Still, there was one factor she could still influence, and that was Ash's throwing strength.

So, when Ash had paid and threw again, she added just a little bit of Psychic energy in his throw to make the ball go faster than before. Again, the ball hit the cans dead-center, and now, the strength behind it was just enough to knock over all six cans.

The man looked at the Ash incredulously. ''Wow, such strength!'' he complimented, very much perplexed. ''You won! Congratulations!'' The big man took the gigantic Ho-oh plush and handed it over to Ash. It was easily a head taller than the raven haired trainer.

Ash took it with a strained face while Meloetta giggled and hugged him warmly. ''Let's bring this back to the pokemon center first,'' Ash suggested.

The legendary nodded her head. This day was already proving to be very nice.

* * *

After they had lunched together—which Meloetta enjoyed very much—they had gone inside the Ferris wheel together. Needless to say, the view was breathtaking. It reminded Ash a lot of whenever he was traveling on his Dragonite. It never ceased to amaze him.

The afternoon went by quickly after that. For the first time in her life, Meloetta had tried cotton candy as well, which she liked a lot. It was then that Meloetta spotted something she just _had_ to do with Ash. It was simply the best way to end this day.

''Melo mel!'' she cried, tugging on Ash's shirt to get his attention. He turned towards where she was looking and immediately knew what she wanted. At the far end of the street, they had set up a tunnel of love. The little boats were decorated as a pokemon Ash couldn't identify. They were Swanna, their wings spread out until the tips of the wings touched each other in a heart shape.

In front of the boats, only young couples were waiting to get on the ride, which was to be expected, of course. Meloetta was already dragging Ash towards the ride, who couldn't help but turn a little shy. All the other couples would definitely stare at them, as they were the only human and pokemon couple.

Yet, the legendary didn't seem to mind this at all, and giving one glance at her lively eyes, which revealed nothing but happiness, Ash stopped caring about this little fact too. The only thing that mattered was that they were together, and Ash realized this with such a sudden clarity, that he couldn't help but feel his heart beating loudly in his chest while a funny feeling spread all throughout his belly.

'Is this what being in love truly feels like?' Ash thought while he let himself be dragged towards the tunnel of love by Meloetta. 'If that's the case, then I don't ever want it to end.'

Like Ash predicted, a lot of couples gave them funny looks when they joined them in the queue, but some of them recognized Ash. The funny looks were soon replaced with looks of awe and some couples even asked for autographs here and there.

Finally, it was Ash and Meloetta's turn to get on the ride. The legendary nestled herself comfortably on Ash's lap until the little boat started to move inside the tunnel, which quickly got completely dark.

The raven haired trainer didn't have to wait long. He felt Meloetta shift in his lap, felt her hands cup his cheeks and then her sweet lips touch his own with all the tenderness she could muster. He kissed her back, and somehow, now that he wasn't able to see her at all, made the moment even sweeter than normal.

Meloetta was practically melting against Ash; for her, this moment could last forever and she would be the happiest legendary in existence. She continuously pressed her lips against Ash, until she opened them and asked for entrance with her tongue.

She had French kissed Ash just one time before, and that was when she so boldly kissed him when Marill had hatched in the pokemon center. That one had been quick, and while pleasurable, it didn't hold a candle to what she felt when Ash granted her entrance and parted his lips for her right now.

She moaned happily, her small tongue dancing with Ash's in an ancient rhythm only understood by love itself. She tasted him and explored his mouth, and she let him do the same with her.

When they finally parted to take a quick break of swapping their saliva—their breaths thick and heavy—Ash muttered the words that were on his mind ever since they'd entered the tunnel of love.

''Meloetta, I think I'm in love with you.''

He could hear a small gasp coming from Meloetta and then nothing. Ash was afraid he'd said something wrong, but those thoughts quickly died when he felt Meloetta's lips almost hungrily pressed against his again, leaving no doubt that his feelings were wholeheartedly reciprocated.

And so, there in the tunnel of love, Ash and Meloetta officially proclaimed their love for each other as the boat steadily moved further and fireworks were going off in the distance.

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 **There you have it, people! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are very much welcomed! Next chapter, Meloetta vs Project M! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	34. Project M

**Next chapter is here, folks! Apologies for the delay. Sometimes life can be a female dog. In any case, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, pokemon on the Switch would be announced already, and it would be open world!**

* * *

 **~DragonClawFromQ: Wow, great but sweet. The plot line is building up for Ash to finally get a girl. (...) My favorite chapter of this book, yet.**

 **Thank you. I appreciate the kind words! :)**

 **~Guest:** **This is an awesome fanfic, but I've been waiting forever for the chapter. Please, post the next one.**

 **You don't have to wait any longer. ;)**

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''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

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The eight gym in a region is seen by many trainers as their last obstacle—a final test, if you will—to see if you're prepared and have what it takes to take on the Indigo Plateau, where only the best of the best will face off and get a shot at challenging the elite four, and possibly, the champion.

Logically, one would expect a challenger of the Viridian city gym to be nervous, eager, maybe even a bit confident in their skills by now. However, none of these feelings were even remotely present in Ash Ketchum's body at the moment.

When the raven haired trainer had stepped foot inside the gym, his happy attitude had shattered like a porcelain vase. A sense of déjà vu hit him like a ton of bricks; a sense of déjà vu that was filled with a lot of mixed feelings. The gym was open, but covered in darkness, much like how Brock's gym in Pewter city had been—his first gym battle at the start of his adventure with Meloetta and Pikachu. Those feelings brought him a sense of nostalgia that had him longing for this battle more than anything.

Unfortunately, it was greatly overshadowed by the sinister silhouette sitting across the room. Ash didn't need to see his features to know who it was. A feeling of loathing overwhelmed him, a dark scowl crossing his face as the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni, stood up and stepped into the dimness of what little light filtered inside. His grin was wide and his posture confident as he eyed the boy who had single-handedly destroyed his organization.

The only reason why neither Meloetta nor Pikachu had attacked yet was a simple gesture of Ash's hand. They were loyal to him through and through, and so, obeyed him without question. The raven haired trainer wanted to hear what Giovanni had to say first.

The Team Rocket leader bowed in what could be considered a mock gesture, and then spread his arms wide while smiling devilishly. ''Ash Ketchum, Pikachu and Meloetta, welcome to the Viridian city gym. I've been waiting for your arrival ever since I had the pleasure of experiencing with my own eyes what kind of a massive threat you are. You took down Team Rocket all by yourself, and for that, I have massive respect. I've never met anybody with as much willpower and drive as you have,'' Giovanni complimented genuinely. ''However, if you think you can get away with it, you're sadly mistaken.'' He now frowned. ''Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused me?''

Ash snorted, certainly not impressed with Giovanni's little dialogue. ''Is this where you've been hiding all this time?'' Ash asked instead of answering him. ''I totally thought you fled like the little Run Away Rattata you are. You saved me a lot of trouble, actually. I was going to hunt you down after the League was done. That little robot on Cinnabar Island was a good distraction, I have to say, but whatever you did in the pokemon mansion won't come to fruition. I'm going to stop you right here and right now, Giovanni!''

Giovanni tsk'ed nonchalantly. ''Always jumping to violence, I see. I suppose it can't be helped. After all, I used to be a lot like you when I was your age. Full of energy, ready to conquer the world, but then I quickly realized life isn't fair. Fate is constantly interfering, putting up roadblocks to your hopes and dreams that seem impossible to overcome. It's why I created Team Rocket in the first place; I want to conquer the world and get rid of these roadblocks that thwart me constantly, but that's only possible if I take out the biggest one of them all, and that one is standing right in front of me.''

Ash had heard enough. Whatever Giovanni's plan was to reach this goal wasn't important to him; the only thing that mattered was stopping him now. ''Meloetta, bind Giovanni with your Psychic and Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!'' Ash commanded with a growl.

Both pokemon complied all too eagerly; they knew what this human being was capable of, Meloetta especially. The small legendary's eyes glowed and she immobilized the Rocket boss quite effectively. Pikachu followed suit and released a potent bolt of electricity that surely would knock Giovanni out.

The only problem was, it absolutely didn't, and that was because Pikachu's Thunderbolt never hit its target in the first place. Pikachu's aim was deadly accurate, but as soon as it was about to hit Giovanni straight across the chest, it was reflected by a powerful wave of psychic energy.

Ash gasped, as did Meloetta when she found her psychic grip faltering on Giovanni until he broke himself free like he was shredding away old, dried up ropes around him. Pikachu just watched owlishly, unable to comprehend what had happened while Giovanni just grinned widely.

''Ash, you don't really think I was unprepared for this encounter, do you?'' Giovanni scolded him, shaking his head. ''You see, ever since I captured your Meloetta, my dream was finally able to be a reality. Thanks to you, Project M has been fully realized, and for that, I am _very_ grateful,'' Giovanni said with his everlasting grin on his face. ''So,'' he continued, ''what better way to celebrate than to test its capabilities on the Hero kid of Kanto himself?''

''What are you talking about?'' Ash demanded. The raven haired trainer was losing his patience very quickly with the Team Rocket boss.

Giovanni snapped his finger, not saying anything and instead showing Ash what he meant. An automatic door opened up in the back of the gym, revealing a very intimidating presence to the young trainer and his pokemon. Immediately, an ominous aura gripped Meloetta from every side; it was almost overwhelming. Ash too could feel how strong this individual was. Looking at Pikachu, he saw that he was shivering. He didn't have to be a pokemon professor to know Giovanni had somehow managed to catch a legendary, but which legendary, he could only guess.

One thing was for sure: it was stronger than Meloetta, and that scared him. Here was a force greater than his own legendary in the hands of probably the scariest man in all of Kanto. Ash knew things were going to escalate very quickly from here on out.

The legendary floated towards Giovanni obediently, as if it was completely controlled like a puppet. Ash could now make out it was wearing an armor of some sorts, with a helmet that covered its entire face. Its most distinctive feature was its long purple tail. The raven haired trainer had never seen this legendary before, and had no idea who it was. Meloetta, however, seemed to know all too well and gritted her teeth.

''Allow me to introduce to you Mewtwo!'' Giovanni said grandly, ''Team Rocket's genetically altered version of Mew! He was a bit… disobedient at first, completely going rogue and escaping our top secret facility, but thanks to _you,_ Ash, I was able to regain control of him again.''

Ash perked a brow. Seeing he was not in control of the situation anymore, he tried to stall. ''Oh? How did I help you regain control of him? Last time I checked, I destroyed Team Rocket, not help it out,'' he challenged the Team Rocket boss. Ash knew the only way he was going to win this battle was if he somehow could release his other pokemon without Mewtwo or Giovanni noticing, but that was going to be a bit tricky.

Luckily, Giovanni was in a good mood. He chuckled in amusement and decided to answer Ash's question. ''Well, as you can imagine, after Mewtwo had escaped, Project M was in shambles. We successfully created life, but how would it benefit us if we couldn't even control it? That's when my faithful doctor Drampa came up with a genius plan! We just had to make an armor that would grand us complete ownership over Mewtwo. That in itself posed a few problems, however. The armor had to be strong enough to contain Mewtwo and we had to find him as well.'' Giovanni paused for a bit as he began to pace back and forth.

''Fortunately for us, that first criterion could be met easily if we had the original source of Mewtwo's powers, Mew. You might ask how this would make things any easier, seeing as we now had to track down a Mew and Mewtwo. Well, Ash, that is where your lovely Meloetta came into play. You see, legendaries have this nifty ability to be able to track other legendaries as long as they've met them before. We originally intended to use Meloetta only for the tracking of Mew, but to our complete surprise, she had met Mewtwo before as well. Interestingly enough, she has even met multiple Mewtwo in her past.''

Meloetta's eyes began to widen; if the look on Giovanni's face told her anything, it meant he figured out exactly why she had met multiple Mewtwo.

''How can that be?'' Ash asked. ''You're suggesting you only created one Mewtwo. How can my Meloetta have met multiple?''

Giovanni rubbed his chin. ''Believe me, I was as baffled as you are, but it's true. We were so intrigued that we tried to track these other Mewtwo, but we couldn't find any of them; as if they didn't exist yet. That led me to just one conclusion: your Meloetta is from the future,'' Giovanni stated simply.

Ash and Pikachu both gasped as they looked at Meloetta. Ash gave her a questioning glance, as if asking if the Team Rocket boss was telling the truth. The petite legendary couldn't lie to Ash, nor to Pikachu for that matter. So, she nodded her head slowly, confirming what Giovanni had deduced to be true.

''Melo mel mel,'' she explained, ''Meloetta mel!''

''You mean to tell me you really went back in time—for me?'' Ash whispered. He was extremely flattered and he really wanted to hear more, but right now, there were more pressing matters to take care of.

Meloetta nodded her head lovingly at Ash's question while Giovanni continued his monologue.

''Finally, the puzzle started to make sense. I had asked myself constantly why a Meloetta would join a trainer who just started his journey. It would only make sense if she's from the future, wouldn't it? Maybe she knows you for a _very_ long time now, Ash. Who is to say this is the first time she's come back into the past? You know how long legendaries live. I can imagine it must be hard for her to part ways with you over and over again, constantly returning to that moment she met you...''

Ash shook his head. ''No, this must definitely be her first time; otherwise she knew this was going to happen and stopped you.''

Giovanni nodded his head. ''Very clever, Ash. I suspected that too. With that worry taken care of and with the information we got from Meloetta, we were able to successfully capture a Mew and create a suit that would function properly! That only left Mewtwo, and while incredibly strong, he's still very young. It was easy to trick him and so, here we are!'' The Team Rocket boss had turned his back to the raven haired trainer as he ended his explanation. Ash saw it as his golden opportunity to reach for the pokeballs on his belt for a surprise attack.

However, it seemed Mewtwo had anticipated this. With a flick of his wrist, all of Ash's pokemon—still contained in their balls—floated away from him, where they dropped harmlessly in front of Giovanni.

''Hey, give them back!'' Ash said angrily. He desperately wanted to command Pikachu or Meloetta to attack, but he knew it was foolish to do so. Both pokemon knew this too; defeated, they could only watch and hope Giovanni wasn't going to do anything to them.

''Always so protective,'' Giovanni taunted, ''Don't worry, this is just a precaution. Together with your other pokemon, especially your ancient Dragonite, you will cause me more trouble than necessary. So, I'll keep them safe for a while until our battle is over.''

''Battle?'' Ash asked unsurely.

Giovanni smiled. ''You haven't realized yet, right? Well, allow me to enlighten you: _I_ am the last gym leader. If you want the Earth badge, you'll have to face me and defeat me.'' Giovanni now began to smirk. ''I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. If you want to save everybody from Project M, I request a one-on-one battle, your Meloetta against my Mewtwo.''

Ash was sure the Team Rocket boss was joking, but from the look on his face, he was completely serious. He eyed Meloetta and Pikachu, looking for help. ''Guys, what can I do?''

Pikachu let a growl escape his throat; he knew there wasn't anything they could do to prevent this. Refuse and more than half of their family would pay the price. ''Ash, there's no other options left,'' Pikachu finally said.

Meloetta felt an incredible rage well up inside of her, but couldn't think of anything else as well. ''I'm sorry, Ash. Pikachu is right. We have to battle him and overcome extreme odds. We're in the disadvantage here, since Mewtwo is much stronger than I am.'' She paused and then gave Ash a look that was filled with love and hope. ''But,'' she whispered lovingly, ''maybe together—you and me—we can overcome this situation. Let's battle Giovanni, and defeat him once and for all!''

* * *

 **So there you have it, guys! I hope you don't mind the cliffhanger. :P Anyway, did you guys love it, like it, hate it? Reviews are always welcomed! :D Next (extra long) chapter the climax of this story, Meloetta vs Mewtwo! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	35. The climax: part 1

**I've got a question for you guys at the end of this chapter! Be sure to check that out. Anyway, apologies for the slow update (again). Lack of motivation is really killing me. As such, I couldn't help but to split up this big chapter into two. Otherwise, you guys have to wait for another month, and I don't want that. So, enjoy this first half of the battle against Giovanni! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Meloetta would be stronger in the games than she is right now.**

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 **~DragonClawFromQ:** **I think Ash would win due to plot armor, but this time, Mewtwo has real armor, can't wait for the next chap, bye.  
Also will this story continue through other regions?  
**

 **I will only cover the Kanto arc, unfortunately.**

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''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

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For the first time since Ash Ketchum had started to thwart his plans, Team Rocket boss Giovanni felt in complete control. It was a feeling of exhilaration, power, but above all, satisfaction. It was what Giovanni couldn't get enough of; it was simply addicting, and he wanted more.

''So, Ash Ketchum, will you accept my challenge?'' Giovanni asked calmly. He knew he would; there was no way he was going to endanger his precious pokemon, and as the Hero kid of Kanto, he was almost obliged. Even without these factors, Ash would've accepted, only to save Mewtwo.

Giovanni patiently waited for Ash's answer. He was right when he noticed how similar Ash's personality was compared to him when he was younger. He couldn't stand injustice either, so, the only way to eliminate that was to rule the world, right? That way, Giovanni would decide what was right and what was wrong.

Of course, he was using injustice now to accomplish his goal, but that was a small price to pay to realize his ambitions. Looking at the raven haired trainer with a growing smirk, he thought about what he was going to do once he had defeated Meloetta.

'It'd be a waste to dispose of a kid with so much potential, especially since he reminds me so much of myself. I'll let doctor Konga make a couple of more of those armors and make Ash and his team my second in command—completely under my control, of course. Not only will it give me the opportunity to rebuild Team Rocket and take over Kanto, but it will also strike fear into all who oppose me.' Giovanni could taste victory already, but before he was going to make Ash and Meloetta his loyal servants, he was going to humiliate them in battle—much like how they had humiliated him by destroying his organization.

Finally, Ash looked up from the small circle he had created with his Meloetta and Pikachu; all three had determined looks on their faces, something Giovanni could appreciate. For a kid who was severely in the disadvantage—even with a legendary at his side—he didn't show any fear. ''I accept your challenge, Giovanni,'' Ash replied finally, his underlying rage not lost by the Team Rocket boss.

''Excellent! Let's battle straight away then!'' Giovanni suggested. He snapped his fingers, which triggered an automatic system that began to descend the floor they were standing on like a giant platform. Giovanni had expected Ash to react startled to the sudden noise and movement, but he didn't move an inch, and neither did his Meloetta and Pikachu. They all kept their ice-cold glares on him as they were lowered to the basement of the gym.

'This is going to be even more fun than expected,' Giovanni thought, the child in him getting excited for a battle that would be hard-fought, but in the end, inevitably was going to end with him as the victor.

''I figured we'll use my special battlefield for this occasion,'' Giovanni explained, ''That way, we won't destroy the entire gym. Besides, there's someone I'd like you to meet. She will be our special spectator today.''

Once the platform had lowered entirely, Ash, Meloetta and Pikachu could see who Giovanni was talking about. Just outside the custom battlefield—which was protected at all sides by an invisible force-field—a small feline pokemon was being held hostage. She was trapped in a glass cage—one that looked much like the one Meloetta had been caught in.

The cage was hooked to a big machine with lots of power cords. Occasionally, the machine would buzz to life and zap the small, pink pokemon with lots of electricity, making her cry out in pain. Once the machine was done zapping her, she weakly opened her eyes and stared at the newcomers. She mewled, her baby-blue eyes full of tears as she begged to be saved while her dainty paws were pressed against the glass.

''Behold,'' Giovanni said spectacularly, ''the legendary pokemon Mew! Capturing her was easier than expected, but then again, we tracked the weakest of the bunch, seeing as your Meloetta has met multiple Mew as well.'' Giovanni paused to gauge Ash's reaction, whose dark scowl would put a Zoroark's to shame. Equally, both Pikachu and Meloetta were ready to explode on the spot.

''She is our power source,'' Giovanni explained further, ignoring their murderous gazes, '' It makes sure Mewtwo here,'' he patted the hypnotized legendary on the back, who didn't react at all, ''stays obedient and unable to break free from the armor containing him. So, what do you think?''

''I think you're a monster,'' Ash snarled, ''and I'll make sure you'll pay for this, Giovanni.'' The raven haired trainer had his fists balled and his muscles tensed. ''Once I've freed Mew and Mewtwo, they'll be the judge of your fate. I'm not going to hand you over to the police like I've done to all the other Team Rocket members, and believe me, they'll think up a worse punishment than any human can come up with.''

Giovanni began to laugh at Ash's empty threat. ''Has Meloetta been telling your stories about Mewtwo just now? He can be pretty scary, yes, but there's one problem with your plan here; _you_ have to defeat him first to even free him. Think you can do that?'' he challenged Ash.

''I can,'' Ash responded resolutely. ''You won't defeat me.'' He crossed his arms. ''So, are we going to battle or not?''

A feeling Giovanni thought he had lost returned inside his body; it was the feeling of pure excitement and thrill. This was the moment that mattered, his ticket to ultimate world domination. The climactic battle he had dreamed about for so long was about to start—a battle that would end in him being crowned king and the strongest being in the entire world.

''Of course, Ash. Let us begin the final showdown.'' Giovanni didn't say anything else. With a finger snap, Mewtwo floated forwards, taking his place on the battlefield. The Team Rocket boss put his hands back in his pockets, idly waiting for Ash to send out his Meloetta.

None of the cheer of battle was present in Ash's body. He didn't even point his finger, nor did he do his usual cry as he called his Meloetta to the battlefield. Instead, he kept entirely silent, opting for the idle treatment instead. Meloetta had her eyes closed as she took her spot, completely focused as if her mind was linked directly to Ash's.

'Interesting,' Giovanni thought, 'this may even prove a challenge for Mewtwo.' With a gesture of his hand, he gave Ash the first turn. He didn't have to wait long before Meloetta started to move; Ash's command was loud and clear. ''Use Hyper Voice!''

Giovanni's eyes sharpened; he'd heard Meloetta was fast, and apparently, his admins and grunts weren't kidding. She moved gracefully like the wind, yet at the same time rapidly and deadly as a hurricane. She opened her mouth and held nothing back, her high-pitched, shrill cry deafening as a destructive sound wave came forth and approached Mewtwo fast. It had so much strength that it would've destroyed the gym entirely, as well as the surrounding buildings if they hadn't used the special battlefield.

Nonetheless, the earth shook, and Giovanni's inner ears would've popped if Mewtwo hadn't protected them. He couldn't help but let out a small gasp in shock; Meloetta was even more impressive than he had anticipated. Still, she was no match for his Mewtwo.

''Block that Hyper Voice and then retaliate with Ice Beam,'' Giovanni countered quickly. It was a shame Shadow Ball had no effect on Meloetta, but it mattered little. In a heartbeat, Mewtwo's psychic flared to life. He stretched his hand forwards and channeled his energy. Immediately, the destructive sound waves stopped in their tracks and were repelled harmlessly.

Giovanni saw Ash grit his teeth and widen his eyes, which pleased him. The raven haired trainer had little time to reflect on how easily Mewtwo had stopped Meloetta's offense when a potent, teal colored beam was shot her way.

''Meloetta, dodge, quickly!'' Ash shouted in alarm.

Miraculously, she dodged the attack, the freezing beam so close she could feel the cold seeping into her body like tiny needles. What she didn't expect, however, was Mewtwo exerting his psychic prowess onto her, effectively catching her off guard and slamming her into the ground repeatedly.

''Good, keep up the barrage, Mewtwo,'' Giovanni said, very much enjoying how he was playing with the legendary pokemon like a rag-doll. Loud thuds echoed through the battlefield every time Meloetta hit the ground harshly, the constant upwards and downwards motions heavily disorienting her.

''Break free, Meloetta, quickly!'' Giovanni could hear the rising panic in Ash's voice. So far, he had been entirely outmatched. Finally, Meloetta was able to break free, her own psychic powers struggling against Mewtwo's, which had her so painfully bound. She had multiple bruises already when she freed herself, yet her willpower hadn't faltered in the slightest. Her eyes shone with a rage for justice and a passion for her trainer that kept her going like nothing had happened.

'Impressive. Maybe this will take longer than expected,' Giovanni thought with a small frown. As much as he wanted to defeat Ash and Meloetta quickly, he knew he had to be patient here. 'Oh well, what are a few extra minutes?'

* * *

As it turned out, a few extra minutes translated to roughly forty minutes, and both parties were still going at it. The whole battlefield had been destroyed in the process; it wasn't even remotely recognizable anymore. Mewtwo had been hit a couple of times, but remained relatively unharmed. Meloetta, however, seemed like she was reaching her end. She was breathing erratically, her wounds pretty major. Her right leg was floating uselessly underneath her body, her face had gotten a pretty big gash across the forehead and she was clutching her left shoulder.

Giovanni knew Ash was in a pinch here. The raven haired trainer had to do something drastic to catch him off guard, and it seemed that was exactly what he was going to do. ''Meloetta, use Relic Song!''

It was an attack she hadn't shown yet, so Giovanni was extra cautious. Once again, Meloetta opened her mouth, but instead of the blood piercing scream she had uttered more than a dozen times, her soft, soothing singing voice flowed out of her mouth. It was an almost peaceful moment, the calm before the storm, if you will. Giovanni would've appreciated it weren't it for the highly explosive music notes that filled the area.

''Mewtwo, destroy those notes with your psychic!'' Giovanni countered. It was an easy feat for Mewtwo, the notes popping like overblown balloons and exploding with the force of hand grenades. However, they had failed to notice yet that Meloetta was transforming. It was the distraction Ash and Meloetta needed. Once her transformation was complete, the raven haired trainer wasted no time. ''Meloetta, use Close Combat!''

''What?'' Giovanni hissed. This was the first time Meloetta was going to use a physical move instead of a special one. Moreover, her new appearance baffled the Team Rocket boss tremendously. Neither any of his grunts, nor the info they got out of Meloetta herself showed she could do this. 'But why a fighting move? Could it be this is the only physical attack she knows?' Giovanni pondered.

This made him worry a little less. It _really_ was a risky move, because he knew Ash was willing to lower Meloetta's defences for an all out frontal assault. One good hit and she was done for. ''All right Mewtwo, stop Meloetta with your Ice Beam!''

Just like before, the powerful legendary obeyed and shot the beam at Meloetta with ridiculous speed. However, it was then that Giovanni's eyes widened like saucers, and for the first time since this battle started, he felt like he lost some of his dominance. Meloetta wasn't just fast anymore; she was like the speed of sound in her new form.

In a blink of an eye she was gone, seemingly reappearing in front of Mewtwo. With her left leg and a big snarl on her face, she performed a potent roundhouse kick, hitting Mewtwo straight in his gut. Nevertheless of the armor, it sent Giovanni's legendary flying backwards a good few yards, and before either could've had the time to react, Meloetta was already behind Mewtwo again. Using the momentum she created, she delivered a scary chop to the back of his neck.

The sound and speed she hit with was insane. Giovanni actually flinched a little at what he was witnessing, and Meloetta was only getting started. Mewtwo tried to balance himself with his psychic after that chop, since the momentum shift caused his body to topple over, but it seemed Meloetta was one step ahead of him.

Appearing at his side with the speed of what seemed like a Quick Attack, her left foot found his cheek with a volley kick that had Mewtwo grunting in pain despite the helmet he was wearing. This gave the petite legendary perfect access to his tail, which followed the opposite direction of where Mewtwo's upper body was heading at the moment. Grabbing it, she threw him over her head while keeping a firm grip on his tail, slamming him into the ground with the brute force of a Snorlax using Body Slam, much like he had done to her at the beginning of the battle.

She repeated the process by throwing him over her head into the opposite direction with even more force, the painful sounds of Mewtwo hitting the hard ground pretty mind numbing. ''Mewtwo, do something, escape that barrage!'' Giovanni roared, his face showing cracks of worry through his calm facade.

However, Mewtwo was simply overwhelmed. He hadn't expected such a significant speed boost from his opponent. Meloetta began to spin him in the air from his tail, building up speed significantly before using the same slamming down motion, only this time, her knee met his face. Mewtwo cried out, his helmet cracking as Meloetta's knee made contact. Like he was a yoyo, he bounced back up again, which prompted Meloetta to uppercut him, resulting into another loud crack coming from his helmet and sending Mewtwo flying upwards into the sky.

At this moment, Giovanni was cursing, his eyes twitching and his nervousness building. Mewtwo almost looked helpless. Meloetta shot up after her opponent, catching up in no time. She flew past him and raised her left leg as high as she could. When Mewtwo reached her height, she brought it down with all the strength she could muster; her foot connected and kicked Mewtwo back to the earth below like a falling meteor, where he crashed violently to the ground. Dust flew everywhere and Giovanni gasped. He couldn't believe what just had happened.

After her attack, Meloetta transformed back into her Aria form, her teeth gritting as she almost cancelled her float out of fatigue. Giovanni wasn't able to see in which state his Mewtwo was in, and that worried him more than he would've liked to admit.

Ash didn't seem to give Giovanni time to recover from that onslaught either; he knew after this next attack that Meloetta wouldn't be able to battle anymore. So, he was going to use his trump card, right here and right now.

''Ready for the finale, Meloetta?'' Ash yelled.

''Melo mel!'' She replied in return.

''Then let's do this!''

* * *

 **So, how would you guys like to see this end? I have two possible outcomes: Meloetta wins or Meloetta loses. Let me know in a review, and the best answer is the one I'll be going for! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! Next chapter the end of the battle against Giovanni. Until next time! ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	36. The climax: part 2

**Apologies for taking so long! Being busy, no motivation and working on other projects all contributed to this chapter being so late! We're reaching the end of this story, though. Maybe another three or four chapters and we're done! Hopefully, I can be a little bit more consistent. Enjoy! ^^**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, a Smash game with only pokemon as playable characters would exist!**

* * *

 **~Guest: I want Meloetta to win! Please update soon! Kudos to the story!  
**

 **Thank you! Hope you like the result. :)**

 **~Guest: L** **et Meloetta win, due to Mewtwo's mind being suppressed, his fighting skills has been reduced, giving Ash and Meloetta a fighting chance.**

 **I like the reasoning! Thanks for your vote. ^^**

 **AshSupport: Go for the gold! WIN! (...)** **I would think an early Mew and Mewtwo appreciation and recognition is a fine addition to his renewed resume. (...)  
**

 **I think so too, AshSupport! Thanks for your vote!**

 **~Ozinski:** **This is a beautiful fanfic (...)** **you made. Keep up the good work.**

 **Thanks a lot, Ozinski! I really appreciate it! ^^**

 **~Guest: Good story... Let Ash win.**

 **Gotcha! Thank you for the kind words. :)**

 **~Guest: Will the next one be the last?**

 **Of the story? No. Of the Giovanni saga? Yes.**

 **TheLightWolf16:** **I love the story and have read it a lot. I saw you said you're only gonna do a Kanto arc? Why?**

 **Thank you, TheLightWolf16! ^^ Simple answer: no time or motivation to do another arc like this. It'll never be finished.**

* * *

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

 _''Meloetta''_ Telepathy

* * *

Adrenaline was surging through Ash's veins madly. The raven haired trainer knew that this next attack was going to decide everything. He had to make it count. Nonetheless, Ash's voice was even and collected as he spoke to his nearly defeated Meloetta. ''Let's show Giovanni what we're made of!'' he yelled confidently. There was no doubt in his mind that she couldn't this. Meloetta sensed this too, he knew, and that was the most important part: he believed in her.

''Meloetta!'' she cried in return, her fighting spirit not dwindled at all even though she could drop out of the sky any second now. Ash wasted no more time; his face turned into a big scowl as he eyed Giovanni venomously. The Team Rocket boss was still shocked after that flurry of punches and kicks Meloetta used with great success on Mewtwo. Ash had no idea what Mewtwo's condition was at the moment, seeing as dust covered the entire battlefield, but he wasn't going to risk anything.

He looked at his wrist and the Z-bracelet he'd gotten from Bill, praying that it would be enough to defeat Mewtwo. Activating his bracelet, it started to shine brilliantly. If Giovanni's face wasn't stunned before, it definitely was now. Ash remembered the movements to activate Meloetta's final attack like the back of his hand—he had practiced it a lot with Meloetta in case of a scenario like this.

The psychium-Z Meloetta was holding started to react to Ash's movement, channeling energy through the bracelet he was wearing. Giovanni's anxious shout to his downed Mewtwo was nothing but desperate; he knew something _powerful_ was coming and he tried everything in his power to prevent it from happening. ''Mewtwo, do something, quickly! Use any attack on Meloetta to stop her!''

However, there was no response from his legendary pokemon. He could only watch helplessly as Meloetta got fully powered-up, a pink aura flaring to life around her while her eyes were as sharp as needles. A smirk had grown on her face, the raw power oozing from her body truly making her feel like an angel that had descended from the heavens above to bring holy judgment upon him.

''This is the extent of our power, Giovanni!'' Ash yelled at the top of his lungs. ''Meloetta, hit Mewtwo with your Z-move: Shattered-Psyche!''

Giovanni gasped in pure shock, all the hairs on his body standing up straight. The whole battlefield had been engulfed inside a sphere of pure psychic energy—Meloetta's energy. It was like Meloetta was all around him, observing, silently judging, and now, letting her presence be known very _powerfully_.

The Team Rocket leader wasn't sure what happened next; it was all so abstract his mind could barely comprehend, but it felt like Meloetta _pulled_ Mewtwo's mind out of his body, like it was something physical that you could touch. It was a bright blue aura, growing in size steadily as Meloetta's psychic sphere stretched it around the battlefield with the pink, lightning-like fibers that connected to it.

As Mewtwo's mind was stretched, dark spots were revealed in the aura; hidden at first, but more kept appearing as Meloetta bend Mewtwo's mind to her will. Mewtwo's mind tried to escape her grasp when these rotten spots were suddenly laid so bare, struggling furiously against the chains of Meloetta's psychic energy, but it was a lost cause.

Ash's petite legendary focused her psychic on these spots, and then used Mewtwo's body as a battering ram, making him crash continuously against them until cracks started to appear like glass. Then, with a final shout, she broke through, shattering one of the dark spots in a million tiny pieces.

Immediately, Mewtwo let out a gut-wrenched cry as it happened, clutching his head like he was going crazy. With the attack done, both Meloetta's psychic sphere and Mewtwo's mind disappeared in harmless sparkles. All of this happened in a span of only ten seconds, and when Meloetta was done, she was unable to keep herself from battling any longer.

She let out a faint cry as her levitation cancelled and she fell out of the sky. Before she could reach the ground, Ash held her pokeball in his outstretched hand. ''Meloetta, return!'' he said quickly. A beam shot out that caught her just in time.

''You did well,'' Ash cooed once Meloetta was safely back inside. ''Take a long rest.'' He kissed her pokeball and then faced a very shocked Giovanni and a screaming Mewtwo.

''What did you do!?'' he demanded. It was like Mewtwo had lost his mind. But as suddenly as Mewtwo had started to scream in pain, as suddenly he stopped. He stood up straight in his normal robotic movements like Giovanni was used to. The Team Rocket boss got a glimmer of hope back. ''That's better, Mewtwo! Now, capture Ash Ketchum and hypnotize him so we can make him do to our bidding!''

However, Mewtwo didn't listen. His helmet was cracked heavily, but it was still placed firmly on his head, so Giovanni simply didn't understand why he disobeyed. ''Didn't you hear me, Mewtwo? Get me Ash Ketchum right now!''

''He won't listen to you anymore, Giovanni,'' Ash replied knowingly.

Giovanni gritted his teeth. ''And why not?'' he responded.

''Well, Meloetta and I quickly deducted we weren't ever able to beat Mewtwo. Luckily, we didn't have to beat _Mewtwo_ ; we only had to beat your control _over_ Mewtwo. That control was forced upon him via the armor and the helmet, was it not? It suppressed his mind, but now, thanks to our Shattered-Psyche, we broke some of that control—enough for him to fight back and bring it to a stalemate.''

Giovanni gasped. ''So you're saying Mewtwo is a sitting Ducklett right now?'' He paused. ''But—that also means you've still failed, Ash Ketchum. He won't listen to you either.'' Giovanni began to laugh. ''Eventually, Mewtwo will grow tired of fighting off the helmet's control, and once that happens, I'll make you and Meloetta my little puppets.''

Ash chuckled and shook his head. ''You've forgotten one thing, Giovanni.''

''And what would that be?'' he countered.

''My Pikachu,'' Ash said with a growing smirk. ''Now Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Mewtwo's helmet!''

With growing horror Giovanni realized Ash's electric-type was nowhere to be found; he had distracted him long enough so that Pikachu could sneak away and deliver the final straw to break the helmet.

''No!'' Giovanni shouted loudly, quickly reaching for one of his other pokemon, but it was already too late. Pikachu was almost as fast as Meloetta. With deadly accuracy, he brought his hardened tail down on the idle Mewtwo, splitting the already damaged helmet perfectly in half.

It took a second for Mewtwo to regain his senses, but when he did, his face turned into a big snarl. With a simple thought, he shattered the rest of the armor and faced Giovanni, who was still in mid-throw. Unfortunately, Mewtwo caught the pokeball with his Psychic before it could open, and a second later, Giovanni was bound and completely immobilized as well.

''Mewtwo! Are you all right?'' Pikachu asked with concern in his voice.

 _''Never mind about me right now,''_ he replied telepathically. _''Please help my little sister. She's been in constant pain because of that wretched armor this buffoon put on me.''_

Pikachu nodded his head while Ash calmly walked to Mewtwo's side, a big smile of relief on his face.

''Mewtwo! I'm so glad you're safe!''

The legendary gave Ash a kind nod. _''Thanks to you, Meloetta and Pikachu I am. Honestly, I can't thank you enough for that.''_ He levitated four familiar pokeballs over to the raven haired trainer that Giovanni took from him. _''I believe these are yours?''_

''They are. Thank you.'' Ash's voice was layered with a thick blanket of emotion. It was obvious to Mewtwo he cared a lot about his pokemon.

Meanwhile, Pikachu had successfully broken through the glass containing Mew. She eyed Pikachu gratefully as he offered her a paw. ''Thank you,'' she cried, sniffling back tears.

''It's nothing, ma'am,'' Pikachu responded back respectfully. This resulted in Mew snorting and stifling a couple giggles. ''I'm just fifteen-thousand years old, you don't have to call me ma'am,'' she replied back jokingly, wiping away tears with her paws.

Pikachu grinned in response, watching as Mew tried to activate her levitate—without much result. ''Just take it easy. You've been contained for so long; it's going to take a while before you'll be able to float again, especially in your weakened state,'' Pikachu said, his paw still outstretched.

Mew pouted cutely, but took his paw anyway. ''Climb on my back, I'll carry you,'' Pikachu exclaimed. The faintest hint of pink appeared on Mew's cheeks; Pikachu had no idea how suave and smooth he was being right now, and if he did, he would've lost his composure immediately. Nonetheless, Mew climbed on his back slowly, shivering as she did so. ''You won't shock me, right?''

Pikachu's smile widened significantly. ''I would _never_ shock you.''

Mew sighed. ''Good, that means I can do this.'' She brought her cheek against Pikachu's and nuzzled him. ''Thank you for saving me,'' she whispered sweetly. Now Pikachu had to keep a blush from appearing on his own cheeks, but he failed miserably. He didn't mind it that much, though; the affection was wholeheartedly appreciated. Contently, he brought Mew back to Ash and Mewtwo, who were watching the duo with amusement on their faces.

 _''Thanks for freeing me and my little sister, Pikachu.''_ Mewtwo bowed respectfully. _''I see you're taking good care of her already.''_

''It's no problem, really,'' Pikachu responded humbly, though his blush reddened as Mew continued to nuzzle him and actually started to purr. ''She's still very weak, though.''

 _''I see. That means you've no choice but to stay with me, Mew. At least, until you're fully capable of taking care of yourself again,''_ Mewtwo said.

''That's okay. I'm more than glad you're safe, big brother,'' Mew whispered back.

 _''As I am glad to see you safe.''_

Mewtwo turned his attention back to Giovanni who was still bound psychically, fear practically dripping from his body.

''What are you going to do with him?'' Ash asked curiously. Mewtwo perked a brow. _''You know very well what I'm going to do with him. He caught your Meloetta, tortured my little sister for weeks and tried to use me to destroy you and your family and almost succeeded. Giovanni is going to have to pay for what he has done not only to us, but to all of Kanto.''_

Surprisingly, the raven haired trainer nodded his head. ''I'm not going to stop you,'' he revealed.

 _''You're not?''_

Ash shook his head. ''Maybe the old Ash would've done so back at the start of his journey, but I've changed. I've experienced how much wrong there is in the world. Sometimes, it is better off without some people on it.'' The raven haired trainer gave a weak smile as he put his hands in his pocket. ''Meloetta taught me that. She actually taught me a lot.''

As Ash tried to reminisce about all of the things his cute legendary taught him, only one thing kept appearing in his mind; that first, sweet kiss she gave to him at the start of their journey. It made Ash's smile widen. 'Yes,' he thought, 'she taught me the definition of love. To love like you love your family, but also to love as I love her.'

 _''You seem quite infatuated with your Meloetta,''_ Mewtwo noted with a knowing smirk.

''I am,'' Ash admitted. ''I don't think I could live without her.'' He thought back at what Giovanni said about Meloetta; that she's from the future and probably knew him already—maybe for a very long time now. 'I wonder...' Ash shook his head after that; he would ask her when she was fully recovered.

 _''Well, take good care of her, Ash Ketchum.''_ Mewtwo gave a nod to Mew. _''It is time that we shall go. I'll be taking Giovanni with me, so you will not ever have to worry about him again. But before I go, I have to thank you again, Ash. I owe you big time. If you're ever in trouble, feel free to call for me. I'll be able to hear you no matter where you are if your cry is entirely focused on me.''_ Mewtwo bowed for him, which Ash reciprocated.

 _''Please thank Meloetta for me as well. As a final gift, I have something that may prove useful for you and Pikachu. Please accept it.''_ In front of Mewtwo a similar shaped stone as Meloetta's Psychium-Z appeared, only this one was yellow. Ash took the item gratefully.

 _''That is a Pikashunium-Z. If you give it to your Pikachu, you'll see that his Thunderbolt will be… slightly more powerful. Please use it responsibly, as I know you will.''_

''Thank you so much, Mewtwo. I promise I'll be careful.''

Mewtwo nodded kindly. _''Well, if you're ready to go then, Mew?''_

''Almost, hang on.'' She nudged Pikachu. ''Could you tell Ash to come a little closer?'' When he did and he was at eye level with her, she nuzzled him and gave his nose a small lick. ''Thank you,'' she said appreciatively, ''I really can't thank you, Meloetta and Pikachu enough.''

Ash giggled and gave her a kind rub across the top of her head. ''Please take care, Mew, I hope to see you again sometime.''

Mew nodded and then turned to Pikachu for a final time. ''So, this is goodbye then, huh?'' Pikachu spoke, a little bit sadder than he would've liked to admit.

Mew giggled again, and then surprised him by kissing him softly on his cheek. ''It doesn't have to be,'' she responded sweetly. ''How'd you like if I visited you once I'm doing better… my hero?''

Pikachu grinned at her joking tone, but his eyes shone with excitement. ''I would like that very much.'' He nuzzled her and she nuzzled him back, until she eventually broke away so Mewtwo could levitate her from his back to his side.

 _''Until we may meet again, Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.''_ And with a flash, Mewtwo, Giovanni and Mew were gone.

The raven haired trainer just stood there for a moment, until Pikachu climbed on his shoulder and nuzzled him.

''Chaa~''

Ash laughed. ''I love you too, Pikachu,'' he said. ''But do you know what else I love?''

''Food?'' he teased Ash.

Ash gave a smirk in return ''You know me so well.''

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 **That's all folks! Giovanni is no longer a threat and Pikachu finally got a girl. :3 Whoo! Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Please leave a review! All of them are welcomed! :D Next chapter the start of the league! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	37. The League: first round

**Good weather + cold beer = faster chapters. :P It's the beginning of the end, people! I hope you'll enjoy this last saga: the Indigo League.**

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 **~TheLightWolf16:** **Love the chapters (...) Is ash gonna face Gary (...)? Will he use Meloetta or Dragonite in the league? Maybe after you're done with the story you should find a good writer who could continue (...)  
**

 **Thank you! :) Ash is going to face Gary, obviously. He will use Dragonite and Meloetta and whoever is interested in adopting this story can give it a shot.**

 **~Ttg227:** **#first. Now allow me to say this was a sweet chapter (...)  
**

 **Thanks a lot! Much appreciated. ^^ I already gave you my thoughts on your ideas in a PM. ;)**

 **~Guest: Would it be possible to add a version of the chapter where Ash and Meloetta lose?**

 **It would be possible, but I'm not going to do it, simply because it'd confuse people and make things go out of order.**

 **~AshSupport:** **Speechless...And whoah! Pikachu is definitely rolling in love with that one. Like Trainer, like pokemon, gaining the love of a Legend. Keep up the good work (...)  
**

 **Aren't they a cute couple together? :3 More of them in the next chapters! Also, thanks a lot for your kind words. Unfortunately, I won't continue this story after I'm done with the Kanto arc.**

 **~Guest: S** **o Mew will be Pikachu's girlfriend, I like that. Although I don't like the Ash of now, he almost sounded a little cruel.**

 **Characters grow and develop. I can't have a more mature Ash in this story and still have him be happy-go-lucky and forgive Giovanni for what he did.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon! If I did, Pikachu would have a GF like he has in this story!**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

The Indigo League was the culmination of what every aspired pokemon trainer had worked so hard for. People from all over Kanto—even from different regions—came to watch these spectacular battles and festivities unfold. It was an annual tournament that seemed to grow bigger as the years passed. What had once started out with one stadium in the past had grown into five different themed battlefields and the entire fair it brought with them.

Every pokemon trainer far and wide knew that this year it was going to be extremely hard to be victorious. Not only would the prodigious grandson of pokemon professor Samuel Oak—former champion of the Kanto League—be competing, namely Gary Oak, but also young Ash Ketchum who had made a big name for himself as the Hero kid of Kanto.

Gary had been training solidly for over a month at the Indigo Plateau, physically and mentally preparing himself for the inevitable encounter against his rival who he had found so much respect for and even considered his friend.

He'd heard how Ash had unmasked the face of Team Rocket as Giovanni, the Viridian City gym leader. To be honest, Giovanni had always been mysterious, so it came to almost no surprise to Gary, but being the leader of such a notorious organization while keeping it so expertly hidden wasn't something he had expected.

Nobody knew where Giovanni went, either. When Ash had warned the authorities and took his statement, he told that the Team Rocket leader had fled when his plan to control Meloetta had failed. Gary hoped that would be the end of it and that he wouldn't pop up anytime soon. And if he did, well, he was sure Giovanni was going to be arrested in a heartbeat.

He sighed while reminiscing about these events while he waited on the raven haired trainer to finally show up. Next to him was his granddad, professor Oak, and Ash's mom, Delia, who were waiting on him as well. They'd promised to meet up at the entrance of the pokemon center of the Indigo Plateau to officially register for the event together, but as usual, Ash was running late.

''I can't believe Ashy-boy,'' he said while shaking his head, ''he has a massive Dragonite, a legendary and a Rapidash that can run faster than the average scooter can move. How is he still late?''

Delia giggled at Gary's exasperated tone. ''Maybe he's lost? My son has never been good with directions.''

Professor Oak rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ''I don't think with Meloetta at his side he will get lost very soon. Legendary pokemon have an internal compass that are as fine-tuned as the capture mechanism of a Masterball. Give him time, I'm sure he'll show up.''

Soon enough, the professor was proven to be right. On the horizon—like a royal knight—Ash approached the pokemon center on his Rapidash. His Pikachu was on his left shoulder and his Meloetta on his right while a horde of fans followed him in tow.

It was quite a silly sight, but Delia only felt proud as her son waved happily at her, Gary and the professor. ''Ash, honey!'' she said cheerfully, the camera she brought with her in the ready to make as many pictures as she could. ''I've missed you so much!''

Ash couldn't escape the bear-crushing hug his mother gave him once he had dismounted his loyal fire-type. Pikachu and Meloetta both giggled at Ash's somewhat embarrassed groan.

''I've missed you too, mom,'' he managed to mumble, before she let go of him. He grinned sheepishly. ''Sorry I'm late. Meloetta and I had a lot to discuss.''

* * *

When Ash had received all his pokemon back from Nurse Joy after a thorough check up, he finally felt he could relax a little. They were currently eating in the cafeteria, save for Rapidash and Dragonite, who were both a bit too big. It was just a day ago that he had managed to stop Giovanni, and a lot of questions regarding his cute legendary had bubbled up to the surface of his mind.

''I'm telling you, Meloetta!'' Pikachu protested, ''When I saved Mew, she totally said she would like to see me again after she regained some of her strength! We cuddled and everything! I'm not joking!''

''I don't know,'' Meloetta responded playfully, desperately hiding her grin, ''It sounds a bit farfetched to me. The white knight saving the damsel in distress is such an old story told a million times already. Am I really to believe she fell for you the moment you freed her?''

Pikachu gave her a flat look. ''Squirt, tell her that I'm telling the truth!''

Sylveon was happily munching on her berries alongside her little brother when she heard her nickname. ''Uncle Pika is not lying, Auntie Melly,'' Sylveon responded with juice still clinging to her muzzle while moving her feelers this way and that. ''I can't sense any insincerity coming from his emotions.''

Pikachu gave the legendary a victorious grin, only to be shattered in an instant by her response.

''That's because your uncle is desperate, sweetie,'' Meloetta cooed in a teasing way, gently wiping her muzzle clean. ''He's so hopelessly in love that everything he's saying about Mew comes off as sincere.''

''Oh shut it, you,'' he said, blowing her a raspberry. ''You'll see I'm right when she visits me again!''

'' _If_ she visits you again,'' Meloetta responded, giggling at Pikachu's frustrated huff. Payback was definitely a dish that tasted sweet. She turned her attention to the young Azumarill, who was oblivious to what they were all talking about. ''Are you enjoying the berries, honey?'' she asked him sweetly.

''Uh-huh!'' he responded with a mouthful! ''These awe dewicious!'' Splatters of juice flew everywhere, which made Pikachu chuckle. ''I can definitely see that, sprout. Don't eat them too fast, otherwise you might get a tummy-ache.''

He nodded his head, but didn't slow down whatsoever. Meloetta's eyes turned warm at the scene; she had missed this.

''Hey, Meloetta?'' Ash's voice suddenly spoke up. ''Can I talk to you privately for a moment?''

She and Pikachu both knew what was on Ash's mind instantly. Nodding her head, she left Pikachu in charge of Sylveon and Azumarill for the time being.

When they were alone, Ash gave her a smile. ''Hey,'' he greeted her, awkwardly fiddling with his fingers. He felt like the hopeless kid when he just started his journey all over again. He knew it was only because of Meloetta he had come so far. So finding the right words was hard.

He cleared his throat a little and then voiced his thoughts. ''You know,'' he began, ''it's been a real blessing that you decided to go with me on my journey. I'd never thought I would end up with a legendary at my side, and such a cute one too.''

Meloetta blushed as he flashed a grateful smile. ''Did you know that today it's exactly a year ago since we met, by the way? I can't believe how time flies so fast.''

Meloetta knew all too well. She had something nice prepared for Ash for the occasion too, but kept silent for the time being and let her trainer do his story. ''Anyway,'' he continued, ''ever since Giovanni revealed you're from the future, a million questions have been going through my head.'' He paused and looked her straight in her gorgeous eyes. ''But then, I realized these questions were all meaningless. It doesn't matter how long you've known me, or why you came back to help me. There's only one thing that matters to me; so I need to know—''

His voice turned soft like in a whisper as he gently cupped her cheeks. ''—Meloetta, was it love?''

The petite legendary didn't even have to think twice. She knew it was love all along that guided her to Arceus' throne, begging him if Ash could make his dream come true with her help. In fact, she would've found another way if Arceus would've declined her request. This silly crush she used to have on the raven haired trainer had bloomed into something so sweet and gorgeous that she'd do anything to make Ash's dream come true.

So, she answered silently and powerfully by pressing her lips against his, enjoying his warm embrace as he deepened the kiss. When she broke away with a cute cry of her name, Ash chuckled. ''That's all I needed to know. Now, let's win this league together so we can challenge the elite four and the champion!''

Somewhere in the back of Meloetta's mind—as she was hugging Ash in agreement—a voice cried out to her in panic; a voice of warning about what her father had said: ''If you fail to make the Chosen One keep on traveling, I'll reverse everything back to how it once was.'' She tried to ignore its nagging presence, but it wouldn't go away. So when she broke the hug, her mind started to brew how she could make Ash change his mind about challenging the elite four when they'd won the league without forcing him to.

* * *

Gary waved his apologies off. ''It's no problem, Ashy-boy, we still got plenty of time. It looks like you got slowed down by your fans as well. So,'' he spoke with a grin, ''how does it feel to have your own personal 'cheer-leading' squad? Feels pretty amazing, huh?''

Both boys laughed as they entered the center to register while Delia and the professor followed them with amused expression on their faces.

Once they were all set and done, Ash and Gary caught up with each other in the lobby while a couple of other familiar faces came to greet them as well.

''Misty, Brock! It's so good to see you guys again!''

The redhead gave Ash a hug while Brock opted for a firm handshake. ''It's good to see you too, Ash!'' Misty said cutely. ''We wouldn't have missed this event for a lifetime.''

''Yeah,'' Brock agreed, ''especially after we've heard how much Marill has grown! He even evolved, congratulations!''

''Thanks, you guys! I couldn't have done it without your help!''

Ash was also surprised to see AJ, whose Sandshrew had evolved into a Sandlash and a boy around his age with a Pikachu called Ritchie who was a massive fan of him. But what surprised him most was that Sabrina came to greet him as well, stating that she was bored and decided to come see his matches, although she couldn't hide the small blush that crept up her cheeks when Ash gave her a kind smile.

The cherry on top, however, was Ash's first round opponent. It was none other than Damian, the blue-haired jerk that tried to rally the masses on the S.S. Anne behind him so he could get Meloetta for himself.

The moment he spotted Ash, he sneered at him. ''The _Hero_ kid, huh?'' he spat. ''I'll humiliate you in front of all of Kanto for what you've done to me.''

Ash just shrugged his shoulders. ''You're welcome to try.''

* * *

As the raven haired trainer had expected, the first round was a one on one match. Normally, he wouldn't have used such a devastating pokemon, but Damian was a guy who had to be put in his place. Needless to say, his Dragonite had no trouble defeating Damian's Ninetales. It was a slaughter that had Damian crying for Ash to be banned for using an ancient, which couldn't be granted since there existed no rules for such pokemon. Most people didn't pity him whatsoever anyway because of his behavior, and instead praised Ash for his ruthlessness.

It was when Ash had walked back into the hallways of the stadium—in a pretty good mood—when he had seen him. He almost looked like a super hero with the way how he was dressed, entirely in black with a hood covering his face. At the moment, almost as many fans that had been following Ash were surrounding him, asking for autographs.

When Ash approached him curiously, the mysterious man stopped what he was doing to give the raven haired trainer his attention. He made some hand gestures Ash didn't understand and then offered him a gloved hand in greeting.

''Uhm… It's nice to meet you too,'' Ash responded, a small smile covering his face as he shook his hand. ''Do I know you?''

He nodded his head, to which the crowd gasped and began to murmur excitedly. This confused Ash even more.

''Can somebody explain to me what's going on?'' he asked. He looked at his Meloetta for help, but she was as clueless as he was.

''I'm sorry, Ash,'' she apologized, ''the hood he's wearing is made of a Dark-type material I can't see through.''

It was at this moment that Gary showed up. ''Ashy-boy,'' he said, ''do you mean to tell me you don't know who the Hooded Man is? He's a legend in Kanto that used to fight crime like Team Rocket. Nobody has heard about him for a long while, and now he suddenly shows up again and decides to compete in the League.''

''Wow, really?'' Ash asked, amazed. When Gary nodded his head, Ash turned back to the Hooded Man again. ''Then, who are you?''

He shook his head, indicating he wasn't going to tell. This left Ash only guessing. ''Well, I'm sure you're a strong trainer, so I'm hoping to meet you in a battle very soon.''

The Hooded Man nodded his head before bowing respectfully to Ash and walking off.

''Well,'' Ash said to his Pikachu and Meloetta after that encounter, ''it seems we're in for quite the treat with all the opponents still remaining.''

* * *

 **That's it for now, people. Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! They make my day brighter! :D Also, let me know in the comments who you think the Hooded Man is. Whoever guesses it right gets a special shout-out when Ash faces him! Next chapter Ash vs AJ! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	38. The League: second round

**Next chapter is here, and I have to say you guys had some very good guesses who the Hooded Man could possibly be! ^^ You can still leave your thoughts or change your mind. Enjoy! :D**

* * *

 **~TheLightWolf16:** **Love the chapter as always... and tbh the hooded man is probably Ash's father considering things...btw, if someone does wanna take this story over make sure they give Ash a Charizard lol.**

 **That's a good guess, TheLightWolf16! And whether or not Ash gets a Charizard after this story is done is not up to me, but to the author who continues it.**

 **~Anon Omega: It's Ash's dad.**

 **Very good guess! :) Thanks for your review!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon! If I did, I would make Sinnoh remakes on the 3ds while gen 8 comes out on the Switch!  
**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts.

* * *

Ash's next opponent happened to be an old acquaintance of his, namely AJ. He was super excited to show the Hero kid of Kanto his evolved Sandshrew in battle. As it turned out, AJ was a well-seasoned trainer with a lot of other strong pokemon in his arsenal. The other two pokemon he used in this three on three battle were a Gyarados and a Magmar.

Needless to say, he actually was a challenge for Ash's Sylveon, Azumarill and Rapidash. In the end, only Azumarill was left on Ash's team who managed to win in a close batle and thereby make his trainer advance to the third round.

When the raven haired trainer had shook hands with AJ respectfully, praising him for an incredible fun and difficult match, he found himself back inside the pokemon center.

''Man, that was scary,'' Ash admitted to Pikachu and Meloetta, ''AJ really had me in a bind there. It's incredible how Azumarill pulled through in the end!''

''Pika, Pikachu!'' his electric-type protested, shaking his head and pointing at Ash. Meloetta nodded her head in agreement with what Pikachu was implying.

''I know it was because of me staying calm and finding a way to beat that Gyarados, but the fact remains that Azumarill put his trust in me completely and executed it perfectly.''

''I guess you're true in that regard,'' Pikachu muttered, ''But it's no surprise that the sprout has so much trust in you either.''

Meloetta giggled. ''You're his dad, after all,'' she added sweetly.

Ash grinned at his pokemon; here he was making his dream come true with his family. Honestly, there was no other place he'd rather be.

''Ashy-boy! Congrats, you did very well,'' Gary praised as he approached him, his everlasting smirk not present on his face for a change.

''Thanks, Gary, you too. I heard you had a flawless victory?''

''I did! I prepared myself very well for this event, after all. If I want to win, I need to bring my A-game when I eventually face you. Not to mention, against the Hooded Man too.''

Ash smiled kindly. ''I'm actually looking forward to facing you or the Hooded Man. AJ really had me on my toes, but when the full six on six battles start, I have no other option but to use my Dragonite and Meloetta in the battles too.''

''And I'll be ready for them!'' Gary replied confidently. He looked around for a moment and then muttered something. ''That's strange, I could swear that gramps promised to meet up with me here, but he's nowhere to be found.''

''That is indeed somewhat odd,'' Ash agreed. Considering professor Oak was a man who didn't like running late for whatever reason, it was pretty uncommon for him to miss an appointment with his own grandson.

''Well,'' Gary replied while he pointed at a very ecstatic woman waving her arms, ''your mom is here at least.''

''Ash, honey! I'm so proud of you!'' Delia said while hugging her son lovingly. ''I made so many cute pictures of you.''

Both Pikachu and Meloetta giggled at Delia's motherly affections. ''Oh, and hello to you too, Pikachu and Meloetta,'' she added, pulling them in her hug too.

''Thanks, mom,'' Ash managed to respond. ''I'm very happy with my victory as well.''

''Miss Ketchum,'' Gary replied politely, ''do you have any idea where my grandpa is?''

Delia let go of the hug with Ash and tapped her chin thoughtfully. ''I'm not sure. He said he was going to be back in a minute when we left the bleachers. Shall I go look for him?''

''I'd appreciate that, thank you.'' Gary bowed respectfully while Delia waved him off. ''It's no problem. When I find him I'll scold him thoroughly for letting you wait,'' she said jokingly. ''Ash, are we still going to eat dinner together tonight?''

''Of course, mom! It's been so long since I've talked to you face to face.''

''I'll be looking forward to it, honey.'' She gave him a kiss on his cheek before she left the two boys alone.

''Dinner with your mom?'' Gary questioned with a growing smirk.

''Shut up,'' he replied playfully, giving Gary a light push. ''Sometimes it's good to show your mom that you appreciate her.''

Gary just laughed, until the attention of the two boys was directed to the Hooded Man entering the pokemon center. Immediately, people started to murmur while he walked towards Ash and Gary.

''Well, hello again, Hooded Man,'' Ash replied, his curiosity growing once more. He really wondered who this possibly could be.

The Hooded Man nodded his head, making some gestures with his hands until Ash understood what he wanted.

''You want me to guess your identity?'' he questioned anyway.

A single nod was his answer, which made the murmurs in the pokemon center only grow in volume.

Pikachu nudged Meloetta gently. ''Hey, who do you think the Hooded Man is?''

She shrugged her shoulders. ''If I had to guess? Definitely somebody Ash has met before.''

''I agree with you. It seems he's taking a special liking to him.''

The Hooded Man held up one finger to Ash while elaborating with his other hand.

''So I get to ask you one question regarding your identity, huh?''

Another nod, which made the raven haired trainer ponder for a moment.

''Gary,'' he said finally, ''what pokemon does the Hooded Man use?''

''You mean you don't know?'' Gary asked incredulously, shaking his head. ''Sometimes, Ashy-boy, I question if you live under a rock. Anyway, the Hooded Man is well known for using a Gardevoir. In fact, it's the only pokemon he used so far to get to the third round.''

Ash continued to mutter to himself while eyeing the Hooded Man up and down. It was the first time he took a moment to look at his appearance. He was definitely older than Ash, about a head taller. The material he was wearing didn't give anything away about his body, but Ash could only guess he was in pretty good shape.

Scratching his head, he recalled what the Hooded Man had revealed to him the other day. 'I know him, apparently. But… does that mean he knows me?'

''All right,'' Ash finally said, ''Hooded Man, I know you, but do you know me? Personally, I mean.''

The Hooded man nodded his head, which made Ash's smile widen. 'That can only mean it's a good friend of mine somehow,' he thought. Even Gary's interest was piqued.

''Does that mean I know you personally as well?'' he asked. The Hooded Man didn't say anything and instead only wagged a finger in Gary's direction.

Ash laughed, as did Meloetta and Pikachu while Gary blushed. Bowing respectfully for the two boys, the Hooded Man made his leave.

''I like that guy,'' Pikachu remarked, ''he's like me: manly, mysterious and knows how to be funny.''

''You're nothing like that,'' Meloetta teased, ''You cry for Ash when he is away for more than a day, everybody can read you like an open book and your humor is as dry as a cracker.''

''Hey, some people like my dry humor!'' he shot back playfully, ''and besides, _you_ cry for Ash when he is away for ten minutes.''

Meloetta pouted cutely, but couldn't respond to the smug grin Pikachu was giving her; she knew he was right.

''Well, look who finally showed up,'' Gary said to Ash. Professor Oak smiled and waved to the two boys as he saw them. ''Sorry I'm so late, Gary. I ran into an associate of mine and he had some questions regarding the updates we've been developing for the pokedex.''

''It's okay, gramps. Glad you're finally here.'' Gary gave a nod to Ash. ''I'll smell ya later, Ashy-boy.''

Ash waved them goodbye as Gary and Oak left together. ''All right then. Are you guys up to explore some of the Indigo Plateau with me?''

''Actually,'' Pikachu responded shyly. ''Mew visited me last night. I kinda promised to meet up with her under the giant pine tree on the outskirt of the forest. Sorry, Ash.''

''Oh really?'' Meloetta teased, ''On the outskirt of the forest?''

''Yeah on the outskirt of the forest!'' Pikachu responded with a little growl. ''It's the truth I swear! I really think I've got something going on with her. Come with me if you don't believe me!''

Meloetta humoured the idea just to tease Pikachu further before shaking her head. ''I think I'll stay with Ash. It'll give me some alone time with him since tonight he's going to eat with his mom.''

''Oh, come on! I'm really dating Mew!'' Pikachu added. Meloetta just giggled while she led Ash away from the frustrated electric-type.

''Have fun, Pikachu,'' he called back to him. ''We'll meet back in the pokemon center at six!''

''Sure thing, Ash! And keep your girlfriend in check!''

Meloetta blew him a playful raspberry until she'd dragged Ash out of the pokemon center.

* * *

The afternoon went by quickly. Not only was the weather great, but the little moments of privacy the duo got was used practically—practically in a sense that they couldn't keep their lips off from each other.

Meloetta loved these kinds of feverish kissing sessions with Ash. Not only did it distract, but it was fun too. Whenever they were in the company of other people they'd steal glances at each other instead of looking at the marvellous architecture of the old fashioned buildings. And whenever they came across an abandoned alleyway, Meloetta would drag Ash inside and make out with him for a good five minutes before they stopped and went on with their tour.

Now though, he was sitting across his mom in the restaurant he'd picked out while reminiscing about these happy moments, not even processing what she was saying.

''Ash, honey, you look like a boy who's hopelessly in love,'' she teased him while taking a bite out of her food. ''You need to stop thinking about Meloetta every once in a while.''

The raven haired trainer choked on his drink as he looked at his mom with wide eyes, coughing and gasping for breath while she giggled at his reaction. ''Mom! How did you—''

''I'm your mother, Ash,'' she interrupted him, giving him a wink. ''Do you really think I wouldn't notice? I've known for quite some time now,'' she revealed mischievously.

Ash's cheeks turned warm with embarrassment and he muttered something under his breath. ''So, you are okay with it?'' he asked unsurely.

''Why wouldn't I, honey? Meloetta is a charm of a girl! She's perfect for you. Besides, I know how it feels to be utterly in love.'' She paused for a moment with a big smile on her face. ''Your father had stolen my heart away when I was just fifteen. I met him on my travels in Hoenn. Quite the powerful trainer he was.''

''Really?'' Ash asked with a bright smile. ''What kind of pokemon did he use?''

''Your father was very fond of the psychic-type. Just like your Pikachu, he used to carry a Ralts around on his shoulder wherever he went, but he used other types of pokemon too.''

''A Ralts is a Pokémon from Hoenn, right?'' Ash questioned. ''Does that mean dad was from Hoenn too?''

''He wasn't,'' Delia revealed. ''He was from Kanto just like me. It was just pure coincidence we met there.'' Delia took another bite from her food. ''Speaking off people from Kanto, who's the girl that's stalking you?''

''Huh?'' Ash questioned, looking around. He grimaced a bit as he saw Sabrina sitting motionlessly in the corner of the restaurant. She stared at him without blinking her eyes, not trying to hide the fact she was stalking him in the slightest. 'Has she seriously been following me the entire day?' he thought flatly.

''Don't worry about her. She's the Saffron City gym leader and pretty much harmless… I think. She specializes in psychic pokemon,'' Ash informed his mom.

''Oh, how silly of me. Now I see the resemblance. I battled her dad for the Marsh badge when I was younger. Back then she was already pretty strong with her psychic powers. She used to cloak herself entirely and then let her dolls do the talking,'' Delia reminisced, a slight shudder travelling through her spine. ''I see she hasn't lost her touch.''

''She's definitely something,'' Ash agreed, giving her one last look before shaking his head and smiling at his mom. ''How's the food? Is it any good?''

''It's delicious, honey, thank you!''

It made Ash happy inside knowing how much his mom was enjoying the food. Although she teased him a lot, she was always supportive of him no matter what. Together, they enjoyed the rest of their dinner until it was time to go back to the pokemon center.

* * *

 **That's it, people! I hope you guys can appreciate the bonding time between Ash and his mom! ^^ So, did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are my addiction! Next chapter Ash vs Ritchie, as well as Meloetta cooking up a scheme to get Ash to keep on traveling. Until next time! :D**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	39. The League: quarter finals

**The end is near, people! Just two more chapters remaining before this fic is written to completion. A heads up for anybody who doesn't know yet: I unfortunately won't continue this story. It means after the Kanto arc is done, I'll be done writing Pokémon for a while. I desperately need to update my Attack on Titan fic which has been on a hiatus for 8 months. :P This means I'll put up the story for adoption! If somebody is interested in continuing this fic, please shoot me a PM. For now, enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, pokemon for the Switch would be released this year.**

* * *

 **~TheLightWolf16:** **The hooded man is definitely his father and Is waiting until they battle to reveal himself (probably in the final championship match) btw I hope you are talking to people to try and continue this story.**

 **Well, you're right about the latter for sure. ;) Also, I'm not talking with anybody yet, unfortunately.**

 **~Naruto: Great chapter! Keep it up.**

 **Thank you! I'll definitely do my best. :3**

* * *

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

 _''Meloetta''_ Telepathy

* * *

Meloetta was musing silently. She was currently in the room Ash had rented for his stay. Round three, four and five of the league were all won without too much effort. The big surprise had been Ritchie so far. They had faced the boy with the Pikachu earlier today in the quarter finals. Needless to say, it was the first time Meloetta had to come into action seriously, and it wasn't easy. In the end, she had been victorious and ensured Ash a spot in the semi-finals where they had to face none other than his rival Gary Oak.

That was the least of her worries at the moment. They'd win from Gary no problem. Maybe the Hooded Man was going to pose a problem, but Meloetta had a good idea who it was already. The way how the Hooded Man walked was so familiar that it could be only one person. She was actually surprised Ash hadn't figured it out already.

But while the Hooded Man was going to be an extremely dangerous opponent, Meloetta's biggest enemy was Ash himself. How was she going to convince an eager young teen not to take the elite four challenge and instead travel to the Orange Islands? She was basically asking Ash to quit his dream before it had come to full fruition. She considered explaining it to him, but she wasn't sure if he would understand.

She definitely wasn't going to lose on purpose either. Winning the league for Ash was the sole reason she joined him in the first place. While she was floating to and fro, Pikachu twitched his large ears in his slumber and yawned, cracking one eye open to watch Meloetta float about.

''Meloetta,'' he mumbled, ''what's gotten you so worried?''

The small legendary stopped and looked at Pikachu with a kind smile. ''It's nothing to worry about. I didn't mean to wake you, so you can go back to sleep if you want.''

Pikachu instead stretched lazily and gave her a gentle shake of his head. ''Nah, I promised to meet up with Mew in thirty minutes. Besides,'' he added, a small smirk growing on his lips, ''you've always been a terrible liar.''

Meloetta pouted but didn't object. Instead, she sighed; Pikachu knew her too well at this point. ''All right, you're right,'' she admitted. ''I'm worried.''

''What's wrong?'' Pikachu asked genuinely, giving her his full attention, ''Has it something to do with Ash?''

She nodded her head. ''Yes, it has something to do with Ash, but I'm not too sure how to tell you this, or if you're even going to believe me.''

''Wait,'' Pikachu muttered, his eyes wide. ''Did Ash break up with you!?''

''What?'' Meloetta asked owlishly. ''No! Why would he do that? Why would you even think that!?'' she cried.

''I don't know!'' Pikachu defended himself quickly. ''You said it's something I wasn't going to believe!''

''Not like that! It's—'' Meloetta flailed her arms around helplessly. ''It's complicated, all right? Ash and I are fine… I—I just don't know if we will be after we've won the league,'' she finished anxiously, barely louder than a whisper.

Now, Pikachu was confused. ''What, why? Wouldn't he be ecstatic? If we win the league he has a shot at challenging the elite four! It'll be amazing!''

''Except he hasn't,'' Meloetta revealed, fiddling with her hands awkwardly. ''You know how I'm from the future, right?''

Pikachu nodded his head slowly.

''Well, I kinda might have made a deal with my father in order to travel back to the past,'' she whispered. ''You see, Ash is special, as you might have noticed. I'm from a timeline where Ash _never_ wins a league. This ensures he keeps on travelling from place to place to chase after his dream, and coincidentally, stop every major threat of ever happening.''

Pikachu stayed silent, ushering for her to go on while his mind tried to catch up.

''I made a deal with Arceus that allows Ash to win, but I have to make him travel from region to region without him ever being able to challenge the elite four. I don't know how to break this to Ash,'' she said nervously, ''what if he becomes angry with me?''

She looked at Pikachu seriously, until he burst out in laughter.

''Hey! It's not funny, Pikachu!'' she said, genuinely getting annoyed by his behaviour. ''I have a serious problem here!''

''A serious problem?'' Pikachu questioned while he continued to giggle. ''Meloetta, you were right it was nothing I had to worry about.''

''Huh?'' she said, her anger fading away a little. ''What do you mean?''

Pikachu caught his breath before he shook his head. ''What I mean is: what's the problem? Why don't you just tell Ash? You know how he is; he'll understand and love you even more for it. Do you honestly think he's going to be angry? Sure, he'll be disappointed, but he'll get over it very quickly. Besides, '' Pikachu continued, his voice gentle, ''What's most important to Ash is us—his family. He'd do everything to keep us at his side. If he knows he'd lose all of this by challenging the elite four, he'd follow you to wherever you take him no questions asked.''

Pikachu motioned her over kindly. ''Come here.''

She complied and hugged the electric-type lovingly, her worries slowly melting away. ''I'll help you, all right?'' he promised. ''We'll tell Ash together!''

''Thank you, Pikachu,'' she replied gratefully. ''I don't know how I can repay you.''

''You already have,'' he said, breaking the hug. He emphasized what he meant by motioning to his body. ''We could've never done this if it wasn't for you.''

Meloetta cooed happily and gave Pikachu a soft kiss on his cheek. ''I love you, Pikachu. Don't ever forget that.''

''I love you too, Meloetta,'' he said, his smile affectionate and contagious.

''Aww, isn't that cute?'' a third voice spoke up excitedly. With an audible pop, Mew appeared in the room. ''Your familial bond is too adorable for words,'' she squealed. ''I noticed it with how much Pikachu talks about you whenever we hang out, but to see it in action is another thing entirely. You're like a brother and sister!''

''Mew!'' Pikachu gasped, quickly growing embarrassed that his girlfriend had seen all of that. ''What are you doing here so early?''

''I couldn't wait any longer,'' she admitted, bouncing up and down on an invisible trampoline. ''I just had to see you right now.''

Meloetta giggled at Pikachu's flustered cheeks. ''Looks like somebody is in love,'' she sang teasingly.

''Oh, shut up,'' he responded jokingly. ''And by the way, I _told_ you I was dating Mew! See and be amazed!''

''Wait, are we dating?'' Mew asked.

The look of utter surprise that etched on Pikachu's face had both girls giggling madly. ''I told you he was easy to tease,'' Meloetta said between giggles.

''I'm not!'' Pikachu denied. ''Wait… when did you tell her that?''

''Oh that? To be honest with you, I've been talking with Mew ever since the league started,'' Meloetta said. Mew shrugged her shoulders at Pikachu's scowl.

''This _whole_ time you've been messing with me! And you,'' he said to Mew, ''you didn't even tell me even though I told you multiple times Meloetta wouldn't believe we had something going on! I—'' Pikachu held his breath while both girls smiled at him. ''—love you guys so much. But don't think I won't get the both of you back! My revenge will be sweet!''

Both Mew and Meloetta giggled at his antics while they gave each other a goodbye hug. ''Be careful with Pikachu,'' she said sweetly, ''what you said is true; I do see him as my brother, and I'm his sister.''

''I know,'' Mew said while she nudged Pikachu. ''I promise to be careful with this cutie. Now let's go! You promised to show me that _awesome_ spot you discovered.''

''It really is awesome,'' he protested. ''You'll see! Meloetta will vouch for me!''

She waved at the couple with a big smile on her face as they made their way out of the room. Ash would be away for another few hours, so that meant she had some time all for herself for a change.

* * *

In the nearby forest, Ash was taking his Rapidash for a ride. Azumarill and Sylveon were both tagging along happily, playing with each other while the raven haired trainer enjoyed the peace of the woods. The beauty of nature was something he could never get enough of.

''Are you enjoying the league so far, Rapidash?'' he asked her, patting her on her neck lovingly. Her flames went harmlessly around his hand. It was still amazing to Ash she could control her flames in such a way.

She snorted and nodded her head, turning her neck a bit so she could show him the joy in her eyes. Going with Ash had been the best decision in her life. The mare couldn't think of another time where she had been so loved.

''We're enjoying it too, daddy!'' Azumarill cried happily as Sylveon chased after him. She giggled and tried to pounce on him. ''Yeah, the league is very fun!'' she agreed.

''I'm glad you cuties have so much fun,'' Rapidash replied, slowly trotting forwards. ''You two helped your dad a lot by winning so many battles for him!''

''You too, auntie Dashie!'' both yelled in union. ''You're so strong!'' Sylveon continued to gush. ''When I'm older, I want to be like you or auntie Melly!''

''I want to be like uncle Pika!'' Azumarill added.

Rapidash snickered and lowered her head to nuzzle the two young pokemon. ''You both will in due time. But we're not done yet. We still have to win from Gary and then probably the Hooded Man.''

''I want to battle the Hooded Man!'' Sylveon said eagerly.

''Oh? Why's that?''

''That's because we know who it is!'' Azumarill responded for his big sister excitedly.

''You do?'' Rapidash said, perplexed. Both pokemon nodded. ''How did you figure it out?''

''The way how the Hooded Man walks!'' Sylveon continued. ''We told it to Auntie Melly who also agreed with us.''

Rapidash thought back about the times she'd seen the Hooded Man walk in the last few days. Now that they had mentioned it, it was pretty familiar. ''Who is the Hooded Man then?''

Sylveon whispered the answer in her ear. Immediately, Rapidash's eyes widened significantly. ''No _way,_ '' she said, her smile wide. ''Why didn't I think of that before? That makes so much sense!''

''Don't tell daddy yet, he has to figure it out himself,'' Azumarill said worriedly. Rapidash chuckled. ''Don't worry, I won't. I'm sure he has his own suspicions.''

She looked back at Ash, who seemed deep in thought. She nudged him gently with her withers to grab his attention. ''Oh, sorry about that, Rapidash. I was just thinking about our match against Gary tomorrow. He's been training a _lot_ , so it's going to be tough!''

Rapidash neighed in agreement and then made a couple of high-pitched whinnies. Ash smiled in response. ''That's true. We have trained a _lot_ as well.''

The forest began to end and change into grassy hills that stretched for miles and miles in every direction. Wild flowers grew here and there, fighting for sunlight while the sun was gently lowering itself in the west. Further up ahead was a lone pokemon meditating all by herself. Ash recognized her as the Gardevoir of the Hooded Man and smiled widely.

The psychic-type easily picked up that Ash was approaching her on his big Rapidash. She opened her eyes and a smile stretched on her face. _''Welcome, Ash. It seems you've found my private meditating spot,''_ she greeted him telepathically.

Ash was surprised for a moment, her smooth voice mellow and pleasant. ''Oh, wow! You know telepathy!''

 _''I do. It's a rare skill I picked up in my travels with my trainer,''_ she revealed. _''It's very nice to finally meet you.''_ She bowed respectfully for him, which made the raven-haired trainer blush.

''You don't have to bow, Gardevoir,'' he said uneasily. ''You and your trainer are a legend! I should be bowing for you.''

 _''So humble,''_ she complimented, _''you really remind me of my trainer. It's no wonder; the similarities are stunning.''_ She giggled at Ash's growing amazement.

''I'm like the Hooded Man?''

Gardevoir nodded her head. _''Absolutely. My trainer values justice a lot. You're exactly the same. It's not surprising, really,''_ she revealed.

''Why's that?'' Ash asked curiously, rubbing his chin. Maybe he could get a couple of more hints from her, since he was getting a good picture already who the Hooded Man was.

 _''I believe if I told you that, I'd reveal my trainer's identity,''_ she said teasingly. _''But I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own. It shouldn't be hard for you to do so.''_

''Can I ask you one more question?'' Ash asked her.

 _''Of course. What do you want to know?''_

''Your pre-evolution is Ralts, right?''

 _''That's correct,''_ she said.

''But the Hooded Man isn't from Hoenn. He's from Kanto, which means he travelled through Hoenn and probably got you as a Ralts. Did you like being out of your ball at that time?''

Gardevoir gave him a knowing smirk. _''Somebody has been doing his homework, I see. But yes, I usually was on my trainer's shoulder much like your Pikachu or Meloetta often do. I grew out of it when I evolved into a Kirlia.''_

Ash smiled. ''Thank you. That's all I needed to know. I think I have a pretty good idea already who your trainer is.''

 _''Oh? I'm curious then, because my trainer's identity will be revealed once we've reached the finals.''_

''The Hooded Man is going to reveal his identity?'' he asked incredulously.

Gardevoir nodded. _''My trainer said it was time the world knew who the Hooded Man truly is, especially since we've been off the grid for about ten years, as you may know. We returned because we heard about your heroic deeds, Ash. So thank you for that.''_

Ash blushed again at the complimenting words and the respect she had for him. ''Well, I wish you all the good luck in your semi-finals match. I hope to meet you in the finals then!''

 _''As do I, Ash. But I have a funny feeling I won't have to worry about that.''_

Ash waved her goodbye as she went back to meditating. He couldn't wait to finally face the Hooded Man. But first, he was going to enjoy a great match against his rival Gary.

* * *

 **That's it, people! Hope you enjoyed this cute little chapter. Did you like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are what I crave! :D Next one Ash vs Gary semi-finals! Until then. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	40. The League: identity revealed

**Well, here it is, guys. The moment you've all been waiting for! How many of you guessed the Hooded Man's identity correctly? Let's find out! :) Enjoy!**

* * *

 **~Naruto: Great chapter. Keep it up! I'm sad to see this story ending.  
**

 **I think that's a sign I did very well on this one. It's about time I wrapped this story up and move on to different things, as fun as it was to write. :)**

 **~Anon Omega: Nice chap. Can't wait for the next one.**

 **Thank you! You don't have to wait any longer. Here it is!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, the Hooded Man would be who the Hooded Man is in this story.  
**

''Meloetta!'' Speech

'Meloetta!' Thoughts

 _''Meloetta''_ Telepathy

* * *

Like Ash had expected, Gary was a tough opponent. While his rival had trouble dealing with his Sylveon in the past, he had prepared so well this time that Ash found himself losing four against two.

'Well,' Ash thought, 'it's time to bring out the big gun once more.' He grabbed his pokeball containing his ancient Dragonite and threw it on the battlefield. Needless to say, it looked almost absurd how he was taller than the stadium he was standing in.

The league actually had made special preparations for Ash's ancient so nobody would be possibly injured. Moreover, Dragonite's power training was largely complete. He could focus the strength of his attacks pretty easily now, so he was guaranteed not to destroy anything.

Gary grumbled. 'As expected. I don't know who's scarier, this humongous Dragonite or that petite Meloetta sitting on Ash's shoulder. In the end, I have to defeat both if I want to battle the Hooded Man in the finals.'

He decided to keep battling with his Umbreon for the time being. He wanted to try out a strategy he'd been working on. ''All right, Umbreon, use Toxic!'' Gary suggested smartly.

Instead of dodging, Ash countered by making his Dragonite use Dragon Claw. Gary cursed. He'd hoped Ash would try to dodge, but instead he opted to let his Dragonite get poisoned.

The result was his Umbreon being knocked out in one hit, but it meant it wasn't going to be too long before this massive giant was about to go down. 'And here I wanted to go for Foul Play too,' Gary thought, mildly annoyed because Ash probably saw through his ploy. With Dragonite's massive attack stat, the move would've been devastating.

Next, Gary sent out his Exeggutor. His game plan was simple: let the poison do its job while he was stalling time. ''Exeggutor, use Substitute!''

Ash realized with growing worry that Gary had an effective way of shutting down his Dragonite: use Substitute and Protect on the following turn. Too bad Dragonite had a priority move Gary's Exeggutor had no answer for.

''Extreme Speed,'' Ash ordered simply when he had broken the Sub. Gary tried to make Exeggutor Protect again in panic, but fortunately for Ash, it failed. The result was that he had tied up the score very quickly, but Gary still had two very strong pokemon in the back.

In the bleachers, Ash's mom was cheering for her son while making pictures whenever she could. Professor Oak chuckled at her antics. ''Honestly, Delia,'' he said, ''What are you going to do when your son reaches the finals?''

She knew what he meant with that, since Ash's opponent would be the Hooded Man. She put a finger to her chin thoughtfully while humming slightly. ''I guess I have to stay neutral then,'' she admitted. ''Though I would love to see Ash win, I doubt he's ready for what is to come.''

Professor Oak laughed. ''I'm actually surprised. I would've assumed you would give the edge to Ash.''

''How could I?'' Delia responded, smiling knowingly. Professor Oak grinned and nodded at that. ''It'll be an epic finals for sure.''

Meanwhile, Gary's Nidoqueen had severely hurt Dragonite with her Ice Beam. Coupled with the poison damage, Ash actually opted to switch him out. 'He actually crippled my Dragonite,' Ash thought with newfound respect. 'Gary really trained hard for this battle. But will he be ready for this?'

When Meloetta took the field, Gary didn't hesitate to switch out his Nidoqueen and use his starter pokemon, now fully evolved into a strong and bulky Blastoise.

Maybe a bit surprising, but Meloetta actually had a lot of trouble dealing with the water-type wall. It tanked hits like he was eating them for breakfast. Eventually, Ash was fed up and used his Z-move, Shattered Psyche, to knock Blastoise out cold, much to the shock of Gary.

''Interesting,'' professor Oak commented, lightly teasing Delia. ''Your son has a Z-move.''

''The Hooded Man has mega-evolution,'' she countered quickly, her eyes burning with passion.

Professor Oak chuckled again. ''Do you think that will be enough to win from Ash?'' he asked curiously, knowing what kind of pokemon the Hooded Man had. ''Using a mono-type team will put you severely in the disadvantage,'' Oak added, idly wondering what he would do in the Hooded Man's shoes.

''Don't forget what kind of mono-type team,'' she remembered Oak. ''Ash has no good pokemon to deal with the specific typing.''

''That's true. Besides,'' he continued with a smirk, ''the Hooded Man has reached the finals with using just three pokemon. Congrats.''

''Had you expected anything differently?'' she said competitively, a giggle escaping her lips. ''You know how the Hooded Man is.''

''That I do, Delia,'' he admitted. ''It's great to see the Hooded Man back in action after so long. I really missed seeing it.''

''I missed it too,'' Delia whispered. ''It's really been over ten years.'' She continued to watch the end of the battle with a fond smile on her face, reminiscing about all the good times she had with the Hooded Man. 'You'd be really proud of him,' she thought, a single tear rolling down her cheek while her lips trembled.

At the same time, Meloetta had hit Nidoqueen with a potent Psychic, the super-effective attack knocking out Gary's last pokemon and giving Ash a narrow two-nothing victory. The raven haired trainer praised his Meloetta with a warm hug while Gary wordlessly returned his fallen ground and poison type back into her ball.

'I really gave it my all,' Gary thought with a growing smirk, 'but in the end, Ash still won. There's simply no stopping his Meloetta and his Dragonite at the same time.' He shook his head and walked respectfully to Ash to give him a hand. ''That was a great battle, Ash. Thank you.''

Ash smiled and shook his rival's hand. ''You certainly had me on my toes. I don't know if Meloetta would've kept up with your Blastoise for long if I didn't have the Z-move,'' he admitted.

''That was certainly a surprise! I should see if gramps can get me some Z-moves! Otherwise, I know what my next destination will be,'' Gary remarked. The two boys left the pitch together, where they met up with Delia and professor Oak in private. The former hugged her son lovingly while the latter gave his grandson encouraging words.

''It's all right, gramps. I'm very satisfied with my result. Ash really pushed me to do my very best. I'm sure that next year I'll be victorious,'' Gary stated confidently.

''That's what I like to hear!'' Oak turned his attention to the raven haired trainer. ''Good job on reaching the finals, Ash. However, your toughest opponent yet will be waiting there.''

''I know,'' Ash responded, ''but I've already figured out who it is,'' he revealed.

''Really?'' Delia said, her smile wide. ''That's so great! I'm sure you're excited then.''

''I really am, mom. After all, I hadn't expected the Hooded Man would be family,'' he replied, his own smile wide as well. ''I had a chat with the Hooded Man's Gardevoir yesterday and she revealed some pretty solid information.''

''Oh, did she?'' Oak muttered with a chuckle. ''She was never good in keeping her mouth shut,'' he admitted. ''Ever since she evolved into a Kirlia she was babbling constantly.''

Ash laughed. ''Well, it wasn't really what she said that made me figure it out, but rather, what she didn't say.''

Now Gary's curiosity piqued as well. ''So? Who is the Hooded Man, Ash? Your father?''

''Gardevoir is definitely my father's pokemon, there's no doubt about that,'' he said, ''but the entire time in our conversation, she refrained from telling the Hooded Man's gender. I mean, why would she when everybody assumes the Hooded Man is a man, anyway? But what if the Hooded Man is actually a woman?

''The last piece of the puzzle fell in its place when I saw the Hooded Man battle _her_ semi finals match earlier today, finally revealing a couple more pokemon. There was no doubting it after that.''

Ash eyed his mom with a look of determination on his face, which she had no trouble returning, her demeanor entirely changed. ''I'm going to do everything in my power to defeat you tomorrow, mom. You'll not win from me!''

Delia's eyes shone with a fire and excitement Ash had never seen before. ''I'm sorry, honey, but I won't allow that to happen. Your mom has had the same dream as you before you were even born. My pokemon will make quick work of yours.'' She winked. ''Just ask Meloetta how strong my Ribombee and Mimikyu really are.''

Gary was shocked beyond comprehension by this revelation, while professor Oak chuckled at the rivalry going on between Delia and Ash. He really was like his mother when it came to battling.

''You were the Hooded Man _all_ along?'' Gary asked incredulously. He couldn't believe he had been so fooled.

''I've been the Hooded Man since the league started, yes,'' she revealed, ''but in the beginning, and then I'm talking about when I was fifteen, Ash's father really was the Hooded Man. I took over in his absence and he left me his Gardevoir under my care.'' To showcase, Delia grabbed a pokeball from her purse and opened it. From it, the familiar Gardevoir appeared who bowed respectfully for Delia.

 _''Hello, Delia,''_ she spoke telepathically. Opening her eyes, she saw an eager Ash Ketchum standing in front of her and an equally as shocked Gary Oak. She smiled and bowed for the boys too. _''It's good to see you too, Gary and Ash.''_

''Hi, Gardevoir,'' Ash responded, while his Meloetta and Pikachu waved.

 _''I see you've figured out the Hooded Man's identity, young master Ketchum,''_ she continued, now referring to him how she would speak to his dad minus the young part.

''I have,'' Ash revealed, ignoring the rising embarrassment in his cheeks from how much respect she was showing him. ''You helped me out tremendously, so thank you for that.''

 _''I'm sure you would've figured it out without my help too. After all, both Meloetta and Pikachu already knew the answer as well.''_

The two pokemon snickered as Ash gave them an owlish look and then a smirk. ''I guess so,'' he eventually responded. ''Mom didn't make it easy for me, though.''

''Oh, it was just too much fun to tease you, honey. You probably suspected it'd be anybody but your own mom, right?'' She giggled jovially.

''Well, you told me a bit that you used to be a strong trainer in the past, but not _this_ strong,'' Ash admitted.

''She learned from the best, namely your father and me,'' Professor Oak said with amusement in his voice. ''I wasn't the champion of Kanto for nothing back in the day.''

''I'll still reveal my identity to everybody in the finals, though,'' Delia said with a slight smile, ''and there's a reason for that.'' She looked her son straight into his eyes. ''Ash, honey, no matter who wins or loses tomorrow, how'd you like to travel with your mom in the future?''

The raven haired trainer looked stunned for a moment. ''You want to travel with me?'' He asked, his smile as bright it could get.

''Of course, sweetie! I think we would make a great team! Besides, it's good if my pokemon get some more formal training against different kind of opponents from other regions.''

Ash obviously didn't have to think about this one whatsoever before answering. ''I'd love to, mom! It's going to be so much fun if we traveled together.''

Delia smiled eagerly. ''All right then, honey! Let's do it. But first, I have to show you what a _true_ pokemon master in the making looks like.''

* * *

 **There you have it, people. Honestly, how many of you saw this coming? :D I hope I at least surprised some of you guys! Anyway, did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review please! I eat them like Gary's Blastoise eats attacks thrown at him! Next chapter the final chapter of this story, people. Hope to see you there. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


	41. Dance Dance Revolution

**Well guys, this is it. The final chapter of this fic! Can't believe I'm bringing my second story successfully to completion. Like I've done with my first story, I'll leave an AN at the end of this chapter if you're interested how this fic came to be, and/or if you potentially want to know if there's going to be a sequel. For now, enjoy this final chapter! :D**

* * *

 **~Anon Omega: So close. Ya got me. Well, kind of. GG. Great Chapter as usual. Can't wait for the next one!**

 **Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy!**

 **~TheLightWolf16: Well, that was definitely a twist tbh, but good chapter overall. Are you at least gonna have ash's father actually show up? I think it would be really cool to see it happen.**

 **Nope, sorry. But thanks for your kind words.**

 **~DragonClawFromQ:** **It's been a long journey since start to finish but we're almost there. D** **o you mind if I continue the orange archipelago? (...)  
**

 **Please see the AN at the end of the chapter for further info. :)**

 **~naruto:** **I didn't see this coming so great surprise for me about the hooded mans identity and thanks for the responses.**

 **No problem! Hope you like the finale as well!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. If I did, Super Smash Bros Ultimate would have more playable pokemon as characters.  
**

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

* * *

The finals had finally started. Ash was as ready as he could be. Not only was he about to face off against his own mother, but if he won, he would also be crowned the youngest competitor to have ever won a league. He tried to control his growing nerves and never-ending excitement. A big smile was present on his face as he walked into the pitch, where his mom—cloaked as the hooded man—was already waiting for him.

The roars of the crowd were deafening. Pikachu was as nervous as he was, but he also radiated confidence. He gave Ash a widening smirk and a cry of encouragement, indicating he wasn't in this battle alone. The raven haired trainer grinned and rubbed his cheek against Pikachu affectionately. ''Today is the day, buddy. Let's show my mom everything that we've got!''

''You betcha, Ash!'' he responded, nuzzling his trainer back. Even Meloetta was a tad nervous. She was floating instead of sitting on Ash's shoulder, and kept herself completely hidden. She didn't want to show any sign of weakness in front of her trainer. This was the culmination of all that she had worked so hard for. She couldn't fail Ash now.

Meanwhile, the Hooded Man had grabbed the attention of the crowd. Gardevoir was standing next to her, idly waiting until her trainer would reveal her identity. The announcer ushered for everybody to be quiet. ''It looks like the Hooded Man has something to say—or rather, something that he wants to show us!''

That got the audience as silent as they could be. The Hooded Man did some gestures and then kindly asked Gardevoir to translate. When she had done so, everybody was holding their breath.

''Ladies and gentlemen, I can't believe my ears, but if I have heard correctly, the Hooded Man is going to reveal his identity in front of the entire world!''

A single nod was the Hooded Man's answer. She looked straight at Ash, who couldn't help but smile. That was all the encouragement she needed to slowly remove the hood she was wearing and show off her beautiful face to the entire world.

* * *

'Crap, I have to do something or else Sylveon is done for,' Ash thought nervously. Delia was even stronger than he had anticipated. To say the crowd was shocked by the revelation that the Hooded Man was a woman and the mother of the Hero Kid was the understatement of the year. It made this anticipated match ten times better than it already was.

''Hang in there, Sylveon!'' Ash cried out to his fairy-type.

She gritted her teeth, refusing to go down after that Dazzling Gleam from her opponent, which was a Ribombee who was as calm as the night.

''I'm okay, daddy!'' she cried back, her friendliness and innocence completely evaporated. She was a killer if she was in the right mindset, and for her to lose in the finals without taking out a single pokemon for her daddy was unforgivable.

Ribombee saw this too and became slightly worried. She knew she outclassed this Sylveon, but at the moment in the state her opponent was in, Sylveon felt a lot more powerful. Her eyes had become completely blank, focused on just one thing and that was taking her down.

''Oh, sweetie, your Sylveon has such fighting spirit. I could see the passion burning in her eyes when she was just a little 'Vee,'' Delia complimented her son. ''However, it's about time we finished this, don't you think?''

Ash couldn't agree more as both trainers ordered their pokemon for a final attack.

* * *

''The sprout is just like his big sister,'' Pikachu noted with a nervous chuckle. ''Look at him go!''

Azumarill—while pretty slow—clearly had the upper hand against Delia's Clefable. His Huge Power ability made him a dangerous opponent, something that Delia had realized a little bit too late.

'Such a young pokemon and he's hitting like a tank,' she thought, amazed at the display of strength she was witnessing. 'Ash is just like his father—a prodigy in every sense of the word.'

''Clefable, stop that Waterfall attack with your Moonblast!'' she ordered quickly, hoping it'd be enough with the Calm Minds she had set-up.

The luminescent orb of energy met Azumarill halfway and exploded on impact, but it only seemed to slow him down a bit. With a victorious cry, he connected his attack and sent Clefable flying. She was harshly knocked against one of the walls that outlined the pitch, cracking it and going down to the ground below.

''Yes! Good job, Azumarill! You did it!'' Ash cried out happily.

''Oh, honey, you don't really think that'll be enough to knock out my Clefable?''

The raven haired trainer gasped when the fairy-type got up, as did the crowd and the announcer. It was incredible how she was still standing.

Ash smiled at the growing smirk that appeared on his mom's face. ''I guess we have to hit her with another Waterfall then. Let's go, Azumarill!''

''Yes, daddy!'' he obeyed, his face turned into a scowl by the fact his last attack wasn't enough to hand him victory. This time, he was going to make sure Clefable wasn't going to get up again.

* * *

Rapidash had seen Meloetta use her incredible psychic powers multiple times, and while this Mr. Mime didn't come close to her in that regard, he was certainly no slouch.

''Now, Mimey, use Psychic again!'' Delia ordered jovially. She loved the surprise on her son's face when she had chosen Mr. Mime. He had never seen him battle and thus always assumed he wasn't that strong, but truth be told, he was her first pokemon. Back then, he was still a small Mime Jr. and she was around the same age as Ash was. And while he wasn't her strongest pokemon, he could definitely hold his own.

Ash's fire-type did what she had learnt from Meloetta to escape the grasp of psychic-type users; run in zigzag patterns, release small puffs of fire to throw your opponent off and never stand still. It was tiresome, but it did work because Mr. Mime grew more annoyed with her behavior as time went on.

'I should've known that Meloetta would teach Ash how to avoid psychic holds like that. Few trainers know it and just opt for a dark-type pokemon to counter it instead,' Delia thought. She was still amazed at how huge her son's Rapidash was. She might as well be a legendary with how regal she was too.

She could feel the disappointment coming from her Gardevoir. It was clear she wanted to battle her, but both knew she was necessary for a certain other pokemon Ash still had in his repertoire.

''Now, Rapidash! Use Flare Blitz!'' Ash commanded feverishly. He saw an opening and he wasn't about to let it slip.

The fire burning in Rapidash's eyes for her trainer spurred her on. She loved Ash with all of her heart—he had been her guardian angel ever since he showed how much he believed in her. So, right now, at the big stage, she was going to show him just how much he meant to her as well.

She neighed loudly, flames erupting all around her so hot that they turned blue. For a moment, she truly looked like a legendary sent by Arceus himself to bring judgment to the earth below.

Then, she charged with a speed that neither Mr. Mime, nor any human could've reacted to. A thunderous explosion followed when she connected her devastating attack that left everybody breathless.

* * *

For a long time, Dragonite considered him equally as powerful as legends. The ancient wasn't wrong in that regard. However, he lacked the experience to use his strength properly and backed away when the only thing he did was destroy, and so, turned into a myth.

It was incredible how much control he had ever since he joined Ash Ketchum on his adventure. They had trained daily and it was showing. He could battle in the league without destroying anything around him.

'Then how come I'm losing badly?' he thought with widened eyes of surprise. This trainer who was commanding this Gardevoir so elegantly had him fighting with everything that he had. Moreover, the Gardevoir had gotten a considerable boost in strength when she mega-evolved.

''I can't believe it,'' Meloetta muttered to Pikachu. Ash's Dragonite was on his last breath while Delia's Gardevoir looked like she could go on forever.

''Well, it isn't that surprising, really,'' Pikachu replied. ''I mean, sure, Dragonite is immensely powerful, but the limited space means his Extreme Speed is useless and Gardevoir is just that fast. Have you forgotten how you defeated him?''

Pikachu definitely had a point. Dragonite just couldn't keep up and Gardevoir had a type advantage too. ''Then it means I'll have to defeat her then,'' the petite legendary concluded.

Pikachu shook his head and grinned. ''Nope. Ash is keeping you for Mimikyu.'' The electric-type cracked his neck in anticipation. ''There's a reason why Ash and I have trained privately the last few days. This is my fight.''

Meloetta nodded her head in understanding. ''I have faith you'll be victorious then.''

Delia commanded her Gardevoir again with a move Meloetta all too well: ''Use Hyper Voice!''

The wide-ranged attack meant it was guaranteed to hit. ''Well,'' Pikachu said, grinning, ''it looks like it's my time to shine.''

* * *

Delia—for the first time since the battle had started—was flabbergasted. She couldn't believe what just had happened. Taking down Dragonite was a massive feat that got her a standing ovation. She expected her son to use Meloetta in retaliation, but he used Pikachu instead.

She questioned it briefly, but hadn't put much thought into it. She should've known her son had an ace up his sleeve, because she began to understand when the battle had started.

Pikachu was almost impossible to follow when he Quick Attacked.

It was a test of patience for Gardevoir—who also possessed a lot of speed—but she inevitably slipped. Ash's next words crippled Delia's mega completely.

''Now, use Thunder Wave, Pikachu!'' he said victoriously.

With Gardevoir paralyzed, she was a sitting duck, and that's exactly what Ash wanted. ''Well, mom, You've shown me how powerful mega-evolution is. Now let me show you the power of Z-moves!''

Ash commanded his loyal electric-type powerfully as he began to activate the Pikashunium-Z he was carrying with a specific dance he'd learnt. ''Now! Use 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt on Gardevoir!''

It was like Zapdos himself aided Pikachu in the attack. The sky darkened completely and a single, potent bolt in every color imaginable hit Gardevoir head on. She was completely enveloped; sparks flew everywhere and then exploded outwards like a bomb. Half of the battlefield was completely gone when Pikachu finished his attack, and somewhere in the middle of it all, Delia's Gardevoir was knocked out cold.

''Yes! You did it, Pikachu!'' Ash cheered, immensely happy his strategy had worked out. Pikachu gave him a thumbs up and then faced Delia again, waiting for her reaction.

She finally came to her senses and then giggled. ''It seems it'll be a two versus two then. Pikachu is so strong! I really want to know how you train your pokemon, sweetie!''

Pikachu felt proud and Ash laughed sheepishly. ''Thanks, mom. Your pokemon are strong too!''

Delia threw her second to last pokemon on the field, which was a powerful looking Whimsicott.

''Let's continue our battle and see who's truly the strongest then!''

* * *

It all came down to this. Meloetta was panting, her fighting stance sharp and focused. At the other end of the field was a Mimikyu, her disguise busted a long time ago. Both pokemon were on their final breath. Meloetta's Pirouette form allowed for greater movement and speed, but her attacks became utter useless.

Likewise, Mimikyu's ghost attacks had no effect whatsoever, but her Knock Off was a very handy tool. With Meloetta's Pirouette form, however, her options were severely limited as well.

'We have no choice,' Ash thought, 'Aria form is the only way we can hit hard. It's now or never.'

Meloetta understood this as well and transformed back under Ash's command.

'Back to her regular form I see. I guess my sweetums has no other choice,' Delia thought, knowing this next hit was going to decide who was going to be victorious.

''Mimikyu, use Knock Off!'' Delia said.

''Meloetta, use Psychic!'' Ash retaliated.

Mimikyu lifted one of her shadowy claws, glowing with dark energy to smack Meloetta down. At the same time, Meloetta's eyes glowed brightly and brought all of her remaining psychic powers down on Mimikyu.

Both attacks collided and both pokemon went down simultaneously.

''Oh no, Mimikyu!''

''Hang in there, Meloetta!''

Both pokemon struggled to their feet, not wanting to disappoint their trainer. Ash's mom had brought Meloetta to her last breath, but there was no way she was going to be defeated. She wasn't—

A gasp escaped Meloetta as her legs threatened to give away and her mind began to lose consciousness. She couldn't believe her own body was betraying her like this. She just had to stand a little while longer!

Her visions became blurry; voices were heard far in the distance. She couldn't feel anything anymore. 'Ash,' she thought longingly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as everything went black, 'I'm so sorry.'

* * *

The outcome of the battle was clear for everybody. Delia smiled. It was obvious it was going to end like this. She knew it all along.

The referee raised his flag.

''Mimikyu is unable to battle, the winner is Meloetta! This means that Ash Ketchum is your Indigo League champion!''

Ash couldn't believe it. They'd done it! Meloetta had done it! It was incredible how long she was able to keep standing up before she collapsed. Mimikyu had bitten the dust a while earlier, and still Meloetta stood her ground. Her willpower was indescribable.

''There you have it, people. Ash Ketchum has just defeated Delia Ketchum—his own mom and otherwise known as the Hooded Man—in the finals of the Indigo League! Congratulations Ash Ketchum for being the new champion!''

The crowd roared and applauded for the Hero Kid, showing how much respect they had not only for him, but also for Delia. She had returned her Mimikyu and was now running to Ash to give him a big hug.

''Congratulations, honey. You've beaten me fair and square. I did everything in my power to defeat you, but in the end, I should've known I wouldn't stand a chance.'' She smiled proudly. ''After all, you're a Ketchum. Your father's blood runs through your veins.''

Ash hugged her back. ''Thanks, mom. But it's all thanks to my pokemon that I won, especially Meloetta,'' he admitted. ''She has encouraged me and pushed me to be the very best ever since I started my journey. My pokemon wouldn't be nowhere as strong as they are now without her.''

''I know, sweetie. She's simply perfect for you.'' She gave him a wink that made Ash's cheeks lit up. Delia couldn't help but giggle and ruffle her son's hair. ''Now go and accept your trophy, champion. You've earned it.''

The display of affection shown by mother and son was met by another respectful applause from the massive crowd. The raven haired trainer walked to the center of the pitch where Mr. Goodshow—the president of the league—was already waiting for him.

''Congratulations, Ash Ketchum. You are officially the youngest person ever to win a league. Please accept this trophy as recognition of your victory today.''

Ash took the trophy with grace and lifted it up for everyone to see. The crowd roared again as Ash cheered alongside them and basked in the spoils of his victory.

* * *

Lance was having a fantastic day at the league. His elite four was all ready for the challenger, who was none other than the Hero Kid of Kanto himself. He couldn't wait to see how Ash would fare, and not to mention, battle his ancient.

It was then that he was interrupted by his personal secretary. ''Mr. Lance, sir, there has been a… slight problem.''

''A slight problem?'' he questioned. ''Well, whatever it is, fix it. I'm expecting Ash Ketchum any moment now, so everything has to be perfect.''

The secretary stiffened slightly. ''Well, sir, that is the problem. Ash Ketchum has forfeited the challenge.''

''What?'' Lance said flatly, perking a brow. ''This is his chance to become the champion of an entire region and he just gives up? What gives?''

''He didn't say, sir. All he said is that he didn't have any interest doing the challenge as of right now.''

''And where is he now? I'd like to talk to him immediately!'' Lance requested, hoping he could knock some sense into the boy.

''Well… he left with his mother a few hours ago to the Orange Islands. Said he wanted to take the challenge there.''

Lance couldn't believe it. His chance to battle Ash—gone in a single instant. He mumbled under his breath and rubbed his temple. ''I guess it can't be helped. The kid is still very young. Maybe he wants to see some of the world first before settling down.'' Lance laughed and stood up. ''Yup, the Orange Islands won't know what will hit them.

''After all,'' he added in a whisper while looking at a photo where he was smiling brightly with one of his best friends, who looked very much like Ash, ''he's your son. Greatness was bound to follow him wherever he would go, and her name is as elegant as you commanded your pokemon back then.''

Lance smiled brightly. 'Meloetta,' he thought, 'take good care of him.'

* * *

The boat trip to the Orange Islands luckily didn't take all too long. A horde of fans had asked Ash and Delia constantly for autographs, so it was nice that the raven haired trainer could spend some alone time together with Meloetta right now.

Both trainer and pokemon didn't say anything for the longest time; they just stared over the railing at the endless sea and the fast approaching islands in the distance.

''Hey, Meloetta,'' Ash finally whispered, getting him the attention of the legendary he adored so much.

''I love you.''

Meloetta cooed lovingly, her cheeks turning a shade of pink as she kissed Ash passionately in return. She never doubted she could make Ash's dream into a reality, but never realized he had done the same for her.

The family and love she had gained on this adventure was just the start of their dance dance revolution together to show the world they were the very best, like no one ever was.

* * *

 **It is over, guys. It is with satisfaction in my heart that I've written the last chapter of this story that I've grown so fond of. Back when I started this fic in 2016, it was supposed to be a simple side-story to get me the motivation to continue writing my other story-When Fate Comes Knocking-and to forget the disaster that was the Kalos League finals. I went with Meloetta because I adored her in the Black and White anime; one of the few right things they did right. :P**

 **It's also why this story is pretty straight-forward and the chapters around 2k; it was supposed to be simple, cute and easy to follow. I never imagined it would grow so big! Just goes to show how much you guys love Meloetta! :D**

 **As for sequels, some of you may know this already, but I have no plans to actively continue this story. It is why this fic is now officially up for adoption. What this means is that I'll give writers who're interested in continuing two weeks to shoot me a PM. When July rolls around, I'll pick the writer who I think has the most potential to give you guys a good sequel. I've already gotten some PM's, but please don't be afraid to leave yours. I want my story to be in good hands and the sequel something all of you can enjoy. That's my main priority. :)  
**

 **I want to thank all who followed, favourited and reviewed this story! I couldn't have done it without your support! From the bottom of my heart, thank all of you so much! 3**

 **So where to go from here? Well, I'm afraid I won't be active in the pokemon community for a long while, but fret not, I'll still be active and writing my Attack on Titan fic. :3 For now, lovely readers, take care and I hope to see you in the future. ^^**

 **~Syrup-Waffle**


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